Grey shades of Teddy
by deenzjeans
Summary: This is a story about a girl named Elizabeth CarMicheal who has a strictly sexual relationship with Teddy Grey when both start to confuse the dynamic. She then gets thrust into the crazy world of The Greys and figures out the real reason Teddy doesn't speak of his father. All names associated with Fifty Shades of Grey, I do not own.
1. Chapter 1: Background Noise

_Here is an updated/ rewritten chapter 1. It has been bothering me for a while and I feel much better with this chapter. As always let me know what you think and Thank you to those who have responded to this story in any way. Enjoy. _

Chapter 1: Background noise

"So what happened with you and Teddy last night," Chelsea jokingly asked Elizabeth as they were both hung over and chowing down on some Chipotle.

"Oh, you know the usual. He came, I conquered, and he left." She replied nonchalantly.

"Well, I do think one of these days you two will have a normal relationship beyond friends with benefits." Chelsea responded, scraping her burrito bowl.

"Probably not. We talk somewhat regularly but he never stays over and I never call the next day. I think as personal as we have gotten is him telling me he doesn't speak to his father right now. I mean, it works for both of us. I am scared shitless of a relationship and he gets sex with no strings attached. We're both only 22, so it's not like I think we'll be getting married tomorrow."

"So, will you ever let yourself feel more?" Chelsea asked interestedly.

"I'll never let him know it if I do," she replied truthfully.

"If you do huh," Chelsea screamed from down the hall.

Elizabeth sat there and thought of Teddy. His olive colored skin, broad shoulders and back muscles for days. The first time that she had met him was at a party. He had been drinking but really just nursing his beer. His tousled hair feeling the wind as they all sat around the bonfire and she laughed at his expressions of annoyance at the drunks. She picked up her beer and grabbed another from the cooler before sitting down next to him in a lawn chair. Her immediate reaction as she looked at his large hands and his forearms was arousal. _The things I'm sure he could do with those, _she thought smirking at herself.

"Do you always nurse a beer or is that only reserved for parties so you can sit here and shun the rest of us?" She asked as she handed him a beer. Teddy looked over at her as she crossed her legs and he could feel her self-confidence from where he sat. He usually had to initiate conversations with girls and the ones that initiated with him were always the ones he never cared for. He studied her big brown eyes that looked at him with desire and he took the beer from her. Her long brown hair had that wavy look as if she had just come from the beach and her tan skin complemented it. A sexual chemistry was ignited right there and he had never felt it this strongly with anyone else.

"Are you always this forward?" He asked as he opened the beer and chugged it. Elizabeth watched him chug the entire thing becoming even more turned on. Her body had never reacted to anyone like this so fast and the excitement was almost enough for her to take him right there.

"Always. Elizabeth." She spoke as she put her hand out.

"Teddy." He smiled at her as he shook her hand only to feel even more aroused. She smirked at him and returned to her beer.

"It was nice to meet you. I better get back to my friends." Elizabeth stood and walked away knowing that he was staring at her ass in her shorts and she was thankful she had picked the perfect shorts for it. She went to Chelsea and started talking knowing that Teddy was watching her so she did everything seductively; every move and with every word. Teddy watched her admiring her game and the fact that he had never met anyone like her. She was confident, fun, and extremely sexy and watching her personality dominate the party was even more entertaining. They music finally quieted as he watched her friend stand.

"Here's to some of our last semesters in school; preferably my last semester in nursing school. And here's to those that still have time left like my best friend Elizabeth here. May God have mercy on your souls." She yelled and he watched Elizabeth nudge her in reply and laugh.

"I bet I graduate and pass the NCLEX before you do." He watched Elizabeth joke and then drink the rest of her beer. _A nurse; that's even better, _he thought when he lost sight of her. He looked around and saw her walking into the detached garage and he figured that was his cue. He opened the door and followed the music upstairs to find her on the bed looking at her laptop.

"Hi." She smiled at him and she closed it.

"Hi." He replied and he could tell she wanted this as much as he did. "Nursing school huh?" He asked and immediately felt regret as he mentally smacked himself. Elizabeth laughed and walked over to him whispering in his ear, "I do much better with demands than questions." Her breath on his ear instantly gave him an erection and he let out a small breath of challenge.

"Fine. Take off your clothes." He demanded and she stripped for him; never taking her eyes off him and he pinned her to the bed and she tore off his clothes. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so desperate to touch someone or kiss someone and he did, all over her body. He fucked her hard and in about five different positions that night as he couldn't get enough of the way she said his name when she orgasmed. After their last session, he left his number with her and left. He couldn't be in a relationship right now and most definitely not with her. She was the most detached woman he had ever met and he knew developing any feelings for her were a loss, but thoughts of her and that night preoccupied him for weeks. All of their mutual friends told him not to get attached to her and he decided to just let her go, but fate had other plans.

He walked into his friend Freddie's house as he was having a thanksgiving party since everyone was back from school. The scene was usual with people drinking, girls dancing, and games played when he saw Elizabeth. She was in leather skinnies, nude pumps, and a grey blazer with her friend Chelsea as they both were playing beerpong. He watched her do cute little dances every time she made one and the guy across the table was eye fucking her like crazy. Teddy knew he had to have her and he wouldn't be able to stand seeing her leave with anyone else. He kept his distance knowing that acting like her boyfriend in front of everyone would only push her away forever. His friends finally found him and he talked with them refraining from giving her any attention in hopes that it would draw her in first. It must have worked because with an hour of not looking at her, she finally came over to him.

"Hey." She snapped at him probably upset that she had to make the first move again.

"Hey, I didn't even see you here. How are you?" He asked nonchalantly.

"I'm good. Busy with school. So, are you going to be at all of these parties from now on?" He watched her squirm probably because she never had to work this hard before but neither had he.

"Looks like it." Teddy kept his answers short and his attention focused on his drink. He could tell it was working because she just kept standing there.

"Wanna get out of here?" She asked and he looked up at her, grabbed his keys, and led her out to his car.

They lay breathless on her bed as they both recovered from their multiple orgasms for the night. Elizabeth turned over to him and he couldn't help but be captivated by her blushed cheeks and her look of content.

"Um, Can we make this like a regular thing?" She asked him nervously and he found it extremely adorable considering he had never seen her this way before.

"What do you mean? Friends with benefits?" He asked excitedly as she ran her fingers up and down his abs.

"Yeah." Her eyes looked up at him studying his response.

"Only if at parties that we're both at we only leave with each other." He demanded and he watched her think about it and her fingers danced on his chest making him smile. He didn't even care about the possible consequences for him because he would take her any way he could get her. She reluctantly agreed and he decided to take her one more time before he left as he took one of her fingers in his mouth and sucked on it. "Smart boy." She smiled as she climbed back on top of him. It was a year of their visits being at the end of parties or with a simple phone call and Elizabeth noticed herself becoming too attached to Teddy and began dating someone else. He was fun, good looking, and someone she knew she couldn't fall in love with. He was a fix but not Teddy. She kept talking to Teddy late at night during studying and he hadn't expressed any discomfort with her dating which only made her want him more. He would be online and distract her long enough that she was tired for clinical s the next day. It was mostly flirting until he then started to talk about his recent hookups in detail with her.

Teddy hated the fact that she had begun to date someone and he knew she didn't even like him. He couldn't for the life of him understand why she was doing it and the entire thing just pissed him off. He saw her online and decided he had enough and he wanted to piss her off too. He began to tell her of a rendezvous he had never had but she would never know.

Latersteddy (12:30am) : I hooked up with this chick this past weekend and she was one of the best I think. She was just crazy in bed.

Elizabeth hadn't expected a message like this and felt her heart drop. She waited, measuring the right response knowing that he was trying to get a rise out of her.

Elizabethrawr (12:35am): I'm glad you had fun considering your most always lame in social settings.

Latersteddy (12:36am): I'm a fun guy and I definitely showed her just how fun I can be...

Elizabethrawr (12:38am): Well, if only everyone was lucky enough to get you in the form I usually do. I'm sure you rocked her world. I have no doubts. Anyways, I gotta get off for tonight, we're drawing blood at clinicals tomorrow and unless I want to be "that" nurse who butchers a blood draw, I better go to sleep. Laters as you would say.

Latersteddy (12:39am): Peace

She stared hoping he had something better to respond with but he signed off. She wanted to cry at the thought of him in bed with someone else and she did for most of the night.

Elizabeth woke up that morning renewed and thankful that a full day of clinicals was the exact distraction she needed and decided right then, no more Teddy.


	2. Chapter 2: Intoxication

Chapter 2: Intoxicated

There he was, again. She had purposely been trying to avoid him but it seems fate had other plans. Their history consisting of nothing more than fear, sex and bad timing. She stared at him and immediately felt what she always felt around him, overwhelmed. His broad shoulders, dark eyes, and hands dirtied by grease had always intoxicated her. The presence of a man whom she had never seen lack control and it turned her on every time. It had been a while for them.

She took a deep breath and felt herself exhale. She put her game face on and approached his group of friends separated from him. A playful expression came across her face as she engaged them.

"Well if it isn't the mighty ones emerging from their caves," she said making sure it was loud enough for him to hear.

"Well if it isn't the queen of the party herself gracing us with her presence," one of them responded, his eyes lingering longer than they should.

She smiled and cocked her hip to the side. "I wouldn't dare speak to a queen that way if I were you. My ways of punishment can be severe. Just ask Teddy here."

She didn't look at his expression or wait for a response; but, simply turned and walked away. Alex, a former classmate of Teddy's stood waiting for her. He was her new attention giver and he loved to give it. She lived for games like these. If Teddy wanted to play, she could play better.

A hand came to the lower of her back and Alex kissed her temple.

"You look amazing tonight," he whispered and then continued to blow down her neck. She smiled at him with a look of desire in her eyes that he had no problem matching. Her desire was not for him though. Thoughts danced in her mind of Teddy biting at her neck while holding her by her hair. She shook her head trying to regain control of the situation. "Thank you" she replied with a smile and joined his conversation. She kept her laughter natural and her eyes engaged to Alex and his friends knowing full well it would piss Teddy off. He loved being her center of attention when they were together and generally he was. They had been friends with benefits for a year now and maintained the agreement that if they were to be at the same party then they would leave together. She had never had to endure seeing him with anyone else; however, a couple weeks ago a girl he was dating felt the need to mark her territory. This isn't what hurt her feelings it was Teddy explaining all of the dirty details that went into their sexual romp the weekend before. She simply responded with interest and left at the end. He would never see her upset over him; she wasn't ready for him to, yet.

As she walked to refill her drink through the crowd, she noticed she was feeling the effects of the alcohol. Her head was moving slower than what she was turning it, and she thought it better to get out for a bit. When the doors opened and the breeze hit her face, she felt rejuvenated. Too much alcohol made Elizabeth weak for Teddy. She walked into the detached garage and headed upstairs for the loft where all her stuff was. Her heels were loud on the wooden stairs as the loft wasn't fully updated yet and when she reached the top she froze. Teddy stood facing the opposite way talking on the phone when he turned and looked at her. He smirked and then quickly turned to finish his conversation. Elizabeth walked towards her bags searching for her makeup and walked to the bathroom to reapply when she found it. She walked with ease, trying not to give him the impression that he made her nervous. Teddy was speaking angrily to the other person on the phone making the games seem irrelevant.

"Are you okay?" She asked when he hung up.

"No, not really," Teddy said while running his hands through his hair.

Elizabeth had never seen him this way before. She always had him in a good mood and left him that way too.

"So, Alex now huh?" Teddy asked looking at her seeming frustrated.

"Were talking" she responded not even looking at him.

Teddy stood by the window and uttered frustratingly, "Seemed more than that to me. Out of all the guys, you had to pick the douche bag I hated in High School and if I didn't think that you were more than capable to handle a womanizer like him, I would tell you to be careful"

Elizabeth finally quit what she was doing and looked at him. His confidence in her strength made her smile.

"You know me too well." She responded.

"You're not going to ask if I'm jealous."

"Do you want me to?" Elizabeth replied taking slow steps towards him.

"I hate him and I hate seeing you two together." Teddy said trying not to falter his expression.

"Because I'm with someone else or because I'm with him?"

Her heart was racing and she was beyond turned on. Her breathing fastened when she was in close proximity to him.

"Because you're with him"

She couldn't tell if he was lying and at this point she didn't care. She had reached him, inhaling his cologne, her head meeting his nose. She had lost and she told him exactly what he needed to hear. Her hands found his hair as she closed her hands and pulled his head down towards her. She could feel him turned on against her and feel his breath on her neck. Her mouth found his ear as she whispered, "When I touch myself, I think of only you and when I come, I say only your name." That was all he needed to hear before he pinned her against the wall.


	3. Chapter 3: The Pinning

Chapter 3: The Pinning

Teddy had Elizabeth pinned against the wall by her arms. He loved the tit for tat that she gave him especially in bed. He kissed her hard, making her moan, and grinded himself against her. She ripped her arms out of his hold and then pinned him against the wall. Her mouth teased his lips as she bit at his lower lip while her fingers unbuttoned his shirt. Elizabeth then pushed his face to the side to kiss his neck and ran her bottom teeth against his chin making him quiver with pleasure. They both began to take their clothes off exuding anticipation with express speed. He grabbed her hair and kissed her harder than he had ever done with her. All Elizabeth could do was moan with pleasure as he pushed her onto the bed. Teddy quickly found her breasts as he teased her nipples with his tongue and delicately bit them. The warm wet sensation of his tongue accompanied by the hard ridge of his teeth almost sent her over the edge but she had always been a stubborn lover and would not stop now. He then moved down her stomach with his tongue making a trail to where she really wanted him to go. Elizabeth then endured his teasing as he licked at her inner thighs and at the top of her panties. Her panties were taken off slowly only to add to the torture he was giving her and then he swooped in and she felt his tongue touch her with such force that she almost came right then. His speed fastened when he stopped and then thrust himself into her. Elizabeth met him with every hard thrust while she grabbed hold of his hair and went for his weakness. Her tongue flicked at his ears and then sucked on them sending him pure pleasure as he came inside of her making her come with him.

He lay on her while they recovered and Elizabeth didn't mind at all. She loved feeling him, his skin, his broad shoulders and his back muscles. All were enough to get her going again, it was their constant cycle in the bedroom; however, she knew this time was different. He had never had sex with her as intently as he did, like he was trying so hard to distract himself from something.

"Is everything okay?" She asked?

"Yea, I'm fine. Great actually especially after that." He smiled at her but it quickly returned to a concerned look.

"Okay, I'm going to go cleanup and get back to the party. Chelsea is going to kill me." Elizabeth said as she struggled out of bed. Her legs were shaking and she had to sit back down.

"Are you okay?" He asked laughingly.

"Fine, just wasn't ready to leave yet, I guess," she said as she covered herself with the sheet feeling the chill on her naked body.

Teddy grabbed her, kissed her, and found his way under the sheet with his hand. She knew they would be here a while.

The sun awoke the room and Elizabeth as she struggled to handle the light in her eyes. Her muscles hurt and she felt uncomfortably warm when she felt an arm around her and breath on her neck. She turned over to see Teddy asleep next to her. Maybe jealousy was a greater force than she realized with him. She smiled and then panicked for the awkward moment she was expecting. He probably never meant to fall asleep or stay with her. Elizabeth quickly got up and threw on some shorts and slouchy sweater. Teddy just lay there spread out on the bed breathing so peacefully. His long eyelashes fluttering while he was sleeping. The door opened downstairs when Elizabeth ran down to see who it is.

"What happened to you last night?" Chelsea asked wondering what in the hell Elizabeth was wearing.

"SHHHHHHHH!, Teddy is sleeping. Let's go outside" Elizabeth began to push Chelsea out the door when Chelsea suddenly registered what she had been told.

"WHAT?, hes in your bed, upstairs, right now. Teddy? Teddy Grey? in your bed? upstairs? right now?" Chelsea jokingly nudged her friend while laughing.

"Oh, shut up. I need coffee, Tylenol, and obviously more self-confidence to pull this outfit off" Elizabeth said as she had just noticed herself in a mirror.

"I got you. Here take a cup for Teddy too, "and off went Chelsea smirking being way too perky after one of her parties.

Trying to not spill any coffee while walking barefoot across the driveway was proving hard for Elizabeth. Her hands shook because her muscles hurt after last night's session with Teddy. She finally made it to the door before she put the mugs down for a break when she heard Teddy arguing with someone, Again.

"Look, I'm fine. I fell asleep here on accident. It didn't mean anything and she doesn't mean anything. It's not my fault you're being chased by a fucking psycho again so lay off me. There should be no problems with her. I'll see you in twenty." Teddy then slammed his phone.

Elizabeth snuck back outside and into Chelsea's house where she locked herself in the bathroom. This was the exact reason she had kept him at a distance for a year.


	4. Chapter 4: Leaves Fallen

Chapter 4: Leaves Fallen.

"Hey, Teddy was looking for you. He had to leave for something important I guess. Are you okay?" Chelsea asked through the bathroom door.

The cold tile floor felt great against Elizabeth's bare legs. She had been staring at the window wondering how in the world she let herself get this involved.

"I'm fine. I just wasn't feeling too good from last night. I'm going to the library to study though, so I'll just call you when I'm done." She responded as she stood up.

Elizabeth was driving to the library when she realized she was becoming a paranoid freak along with a lovesick puppy. A car had been making the exact same turns as her as soon as she had pulled out of Chelsea's neighborhood.

"Great. Just Great. I am officially losing my mind and I am talking to myself," she spoke to herself raising her hands in frustration.

She parked her car and walked into the library, ready to distract herself with nursing textbooks when she was overcome with a strange feeling. She couldn't quite figure it out but it made her uncomfortable. Elizabeth pushed the feeling aside, grabbed a coffee and Danish, and then found a small desk to live at for the next couple of hours. Papers, old exams, and her laptop covered her desk as she finished two papers, one care plan, and finished an exam online. She hadn't even looked at the time for a couple hours until she noticed it getting dark outside. The time change during winter always confused her. It had always made it feel later than it actually was but she knew it was time to head home. Her brain and heart thanked her nursing assignments for giving her thoughts a break from Teddy.

Driving home, she finally felt how tired she was. Her body was still sore and she hadn't slept very long last night. She reached the door to her apartment and inserted her key only to realize she had forgotten to lock it. As she walked in, she saw a figure across the room notice her presence and then continue their escape out of her patio door. Her heart pounded and she dropped everything. Elizabeth ran to her bedroom, barricaded the door with her dresser, and grabbed the loaded gun from her safe. Her hands shook terribly and her heart pounded against her ribcage. She positioned herself against the wall across from the door and dialed 911. While she waited, she thought of her past abuse, sexual and physical, that increased her fear at the moment. The memories coming at her on overdrive and she knew she was close to mental break. Elizabeth heard voices in the hall and held her gun up again, ready to protect herself if need be. Loud knocks met the door as a male started to talk.

"Ma'am, it's the police, we received a phone call about a possible burglary." The male sounded calm and controlled.

"How do I know you're not the person that was just in here?" Elizabeth said lacking any trust in this moment.

"I have my badge if you would let me show you or put it through the door." The officer said as Elizabeth let him force the door open enough to hand her his badge. When she felt comfortable enough she put her gun back in her safe and opened the door. The officer let her come out and lead her to the couch where she answered questions about the person she saw. The whole situation had left her exhausted and she just wanted to go to bed and cry to rid her body of such anxiety. She stood to start packing herself to go to Chelsea's when she noticed Teddy standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked confused.

"I was driving by when I saw the police cars. I called you and you weren't answering so I wanted to drop by and make sure you're okay. What happened Elizabeth?" Teddy asked looking concerned.

"Teddy, I'm exhausted. This is none of your business. Just leave please" She responded walking into her bedroom to pack a bag.

"Where are you going?" he asked following her.

"Chelsea's for the night. I can't stay here. There was a person inside my apartment when I got home tonight." She said trying to hold back tears.

"Did he touch you? Why didn't you call me?" Teddy asked his questions full of anger.

"Excuse me? Why would I call you? I don't even know what you're doing here anyways. Don't do this to me right now. Just leave please so I can focus on one bad situation at a time."

"Let me take you to Chelsea's. I'm the only person you know here and I'm sure it might be easier on you to have someone other than a stranger driving you tonight. Please Elizabeth." He begged her.

He did have a point and she did need him; but, why he was acting this way after what he said this morning confused her. She had her bag packed and got into his car, an Audi R8. Neither of them said anything during the drive. Elizabeth just stared out the window hoping to make it to Chelsea's soon so she could bare all emotions in private. Her hand felt a warm touch as Teddy placed his hand on hers. She swatted him away.

"Don't!" She said angrily.

"Okay." He responded looking hurt. "Elizabeth I'm really sorry about tonight."

She just couldn't look at him because if she did, she would break down right there.

"I don't know what you have to be sorry about. Now can we please not talk about it anymore?" She begged him.

"Yeah, of course." He said as they pulled into Chelsea's drive. He grabbed her bag for her and started heading into the house when Elizabeth stopped him.

"I'm sleeping in the loft tonight." She told him registering his surprise.

"You didn't tell her?" Teddy asked.

"No, she has to take the NCLEX in the morning so it can wait." She told him frustrated that he was staying for so long.

"You shouldn't be alone tonight."

"I'll be fine and I'll just take my bag up. Thank you for driving me but I would prefer to be alone right now" Elizabeth said as she took her bag from Teddy.

He didn't put up a fight because he didn't want to make it worse. He simply got in his car and sped away. Elizabeth wasn't sure how to feel but was relieved to finally be alone. She climbed in the bed, turned on the T.V, and cried for most of the night until sleep took her.

* * *

Teddy sped home ready to scream at his parents for what they got him and Elizabeth into. He couldn't get Elizabeth's defeated face out of his head when he left her and even defeated she was absolutely beautiful. Her dark brown hair tied in a messy bun and her dark brown eyes looking lost. He just wanted to hold her and kiss her but knew that getting more attached to her would only increase her danger. Thank god the security his father had tail her called them right away when they heard her scream. He was already at his parents discussing the situation with them when his Dad got the call. His look of concern staring at Teddy only increased the anxiety he had about the whole situation.

He came in from the garage prepared to speak to his parents in a way he never had before when he heard them talking about Elizabeth.

"Her background check wasn't pretty Ana. She's an intelligent and beautiful girl I agree but she had a rough childhood. She was abandoned by her father and her mother started dealing drugs to support them. A lot of her mother's boyfriends abused her sexually and physically. Her aunt finally took her in at 13 but she died about two years ago from cancer." He heard his father tell his mother.

"Oh my god," She responded shocked.

Teddy felt nauseous hearing this about Elizabeth and finally realized why she had a hard time getting attached to people. He no longer felt angry at his parents but desperate for their help.

"Dad. What can we do to protect her?" Teddy asked losing all anger as his shoulders finally relaxed.

Ana jumped from the couch to hug her son. She was so glad he was safe and that he had come back home. He hugged his mother feeling her love emanate from her body. It's exactly what he needed.

"How is she son?" Christian asked.

"She looked so defeated Dad and sad. I'm guessing this just brings up memories of her past more. I can't imagine how she's feeling" Teddy replied looking defeated himself.

"I have security on her and we will continue to monitor her movements during this problem. We think this person is related to Jack Hyde that is coming after our family. Your mother and I are so sorry but we would like you to move home son. Please" Christian begged his son.

"Fine. I'm going up to take a shower and see if I can get ahold of Elizabeth. We can get my stuff tomorrow." Teddy said as he was heading up the stairs. The look of relief on his mother's face felt familiar. It was the same look he had when he first noticed that Elizabeth wasn't hurt at her apartment.


	5. Chapter 5: Awakened

Chapter 5: Awakened

"Chelsea!" Elizabeth screamed as she threw her purse on the counter top.

"Jesus, let me recalibrate my hearing now." Chelsea said emerging from her bedroom freezing when she saw the state Elizabeth was in. "Elizabeth? What's wrong?"

"I don't even know. I'm losing it, legitimately losing it." She screamed tears falling down her cheeks. "I am being watched. Someone is watching me. I don't know if it's the person who was in my apartment but I can't handle it. I swear someone was in the hospital today watching me and I couldn't even focus on my patients today. They sent me home early because I told them I was sick. Am I crazy? I'm going crazy. Chelsea. Something is going on and I don't know if it's all in my head and I'm about to break." She finally got out in between sobs. Elizabeth slid down the wall in defeat and cried while Chelsea held her.

"It's alright. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't gone crazy before this with all of your crazy shit but I think that the other night at your apartment has you on edge. You haven't stopped being on the go since and I think you just need to rest. Have you talked to Teddy?" Chelsea asked rubbing her friends back trying to calm her.

"No, I don't want to talk to him." She yelled trying to forget that he had called a million times in three days.

"Okay, shhhh. How about you go lay down upstairs and I'll get you some green tea and we can try and get you to sleep." Chelsea replied helping Elizabeth up from the floor.

Elizabeth looked at Chelsea with sunken puffy eyes and asked "Do you believe me?"

"I believe you." Chelsea tried to tell her friend reassuringly before taking her upstairs.

The bed swallowed Elizabeth immediately as she lay down. The smell of the freshly washed sheets and pillowcases was enough to have her asleep in five minutes. As she lay asleep, Chelsea watched her friend never being more concerned for her as she was right then. Elizabeth had lost at least five pounds in three days and she just looked ragged. Chelsea didn't know what else to do besides call Teddy. He was the only other consistent person Elizabeth had in her life and Chelsea knew Elizabeth had more feelings for him than she let on. Taking a deep breath, hoping that this was the right move, she grabbed Elizabeth's phone.

"Good lord" Chelsea uttered as she noticed how many times Teddy had called and how many times Elizabeth had ignored him. She pushed the call back button knowing that this could either help or make the situation completely worse.

Teddy heard his phone ring and had no hope that it was Elizabeth. She had been ignoring all of his calls, IM's and emails for three days. When he saw that Elizabeth was calling, he quickly picked the phone up with a feeling of relief wash over him.

"Hello." He said holding the phone to his ear.

"Teddy? It's Chelsea." Chelsea told him shakily.

"Oh, hey. Is everything okay?" He replied sensing her stress.

"No. She's not doing good Teddy. She isn't sleeping very well, she's been picking up clinicals left and right, and she now believes she's being watched. She came into the house today crying and she looked so broken. I don't even know if you care or if you would be willing to help but I need it. She needs it." Chelsea finally got out trying not to cry for her friend.

"Shit." Teddy said knowing his security for her had not been as invisible as they should have been. "What did she say about being watched?" he asked.

"I don't know, just that she felt like she was being watched at the hospital today. She had this feeling since the other night but I guess today at the hospital almost broke her. She said she couldn't focus on her patients and she left early."

"Okay, I'll be over there in 30." Teddy said hoping that 30 minutes was enough for him to figure out how he was going to tell her about everything.

"Teddy. Thanks." Chelsea said before she hung up.

Teddy changed his clothes about ten times before he found something he felt good in. He didn't know why he was so concerned with it because at this point Elizabeth probably wouldn't even notice if he was naked walking in there.

"Teddy, that looks great"

Teddy turned around to see an amused look on his mother's face. He turned before his mother could see how embarrassed he was.

"Thanks mom. I'm going to see Elizabeth and I have to tell her about everything. She thinks she's being watched because of the security but she thinks it's the person that was in her apartment the other night. She's a wreck mom." He said as he put his shoes on.

"We need to tell her anyways Teddy. She deserves to know what's going on. I would be a wreck also if I was as confused about the situation as she is. We can talk about our issues later but we do need to sit down soon. I'm so glad your home and that you're talking to us again. If it would make you feel better to have her close, she can stay here while we figure this out." Ana said hoping that would keep her son here a little longer.

"Oh. That sounds like a great idea. Should we have her stay in the guest bedroom or your playroom?" Teddy said as he moved out the door and down the stairs.

Teddy drove the speed limit knowing he needed the time to think. He hated being home with his parents within distance of that room. If he didn't want to be informed completely on the situation at all times, he wouldn't be staying there. Trying to deal with his parents when all he can see are the whips, handcuffs, and. Teddy quickly shook his head trying to rid the memories of finding that room. He pulled into Chelsea's drive and shut of his car. Chelsea came out and led him to Elizabeth. He found her sleeping and couldn't bear to wake her knowing that she desperately needed it. Teddy grabbed a chair and waited for her to wake.

* * *

Hours went by before Elizabeth moved. She opened her eyes blinking slowly. She hadn't slept long enough considering she still felt exhausted. As she turned over to stretch she stopped when she saw Teddy.

"Hey." Was all Teddy could get out?

"Hey. What are you doing here?" She asked confused.

"Chelsea called me. I have things I haven't told you about everything that has gone on the past couple of days that will help you rid some confusion." He told her calmly.

"Umm. Okay." Elizabeth mumbled as she slowly sat up in bed her eyes still feeling heavy. "Go ahead."

"I know we have never talked about our families and I hate telling people about my parents but this is where everything begins. My mother and father are Christian and Anastasia Grey."

"Wait. Just to make sure I'm not dreaming this. You are Christian Grey, the billionaire's son?" She asked with a look of disbelief.

"Yes. You never wondered with my last name?" He asked her.

"No. You have never acted like a billionaire. I thought that you were either a distant relative or it was just a coincidence." She said still not knowing how to measure this information.

"Well yes. They are my parents. Back before I was born a man had been stalking my parents and had tried to kill them both all because my mother rejected his advances when they worked together. He kidnapped her before my father and his security finally found her. The man, Jack Hyde, was arrested along with his accomplice Elizabeth. My parents didn't tell me all of this until I was 16 when I found some old newspaper articles about it. And now a person has been sending my parents threats with pictures of Jack Hyde saying we will pay for what happened to him. We don't know how long he's been watching us."

"He? You have an idea who it is?" Elizabeth asked.

"We think it is Jack Hyde's son that he had with Elizabeth." He replied hoping this gave her some answers.

"So it was him in my apartment?"

"We think so. I do have to tell you that my father put a security detail on you after he found out I stayed here with you after the party. They have been following you ever since making sure you were safe" Teddy told her staring at his hands as he nervously rubbed them together.

Elizabeth grabbed his hands and held them still. "Thank you for telling me. I thought it was the same person that was in my apartment. I wish you had told me this earlier but Thank you." She replied trying to form a smile for him.

"You're not mad? This is my entire fault that this is happening to you. Well my parents fault." He said looking at her.

"This is not your fault. I learned a long time ago not to feel responsible for others actions. This is a misguided attempt at probably trying to feel close to his father. This is not your parents fault either. Cut them some slack. They not only have themselves to worry about again but they now have you and me. Their stress is ten times what we're feeling now and I'm assuming that they feel just as much if not more guilt about the situation." Elizabeth said trying to give Teddy strength.

"How is that you are now helping me when I was beckoned here to help you." He said laughing.

"You did help me. You gave me answers and clarity to a situation that almost broke me. The idea of not knowing if the situation was real in the first place was torture." She responded getting up from the bed.

He watched her stand from the bed and sat amazed by her strength. She was just in panties and a tank top when he felt like he was intruding.

"Do you want me to wait outside while you get dressed?" He asked her.

Elizabeth laughed before adding "You've seen me in fewer clothes than this. I think I'm fine." She then continued to throw a sweatshirt on with some leggings and gathered her hair in a bun. She looked at herself in the mirror before noticing just how tired she looked. Her face had aged at least five years with her sunken and puffy eyes. She was now embarrassed that Teddy could see her like this.

Teddy watched her look at herself in the mirror and examine her face. He knew that she was finally starting to see the effects these past few days had on her; the lines on her face and her exhaustion showing. He just wanted her to sleep or eat.

"Hungry?" He asked seeing her turn around quickly.

"I'm starving." She replied with a look of desperation.

Teddy laughed. "Wanna go get some sushi?" He asked before seeing her look at herself and frown.

Teddy laughed again. "We can go pick it up and bring it back here. Then you can sleep some more after you eat." He said to her noticing her energy picked up a bit.

"I could kiss you right now." She said smiling at him. "Don't worry. I'll pay." Elizabeth spoke as she smirked at him.

Teddy stood up laughing when the room went pitch black and the power went out. He grabbed Elizabeth who grabbed him with shaky hands when they heard Chelsea scream. Elizabeth's heart sank.


	6. Chapter 6: Questions Answered

Chapter 6: Questions Answered.

Elizabeth pushed off of Teddy and felt the bed spread under her fingers; the fine soft feel of cotton meeting her fingertips as she followed their seam to her bag.

"What are you doing?" Teddy whispered.

"I'm finding my gun!" Elizabeth shared as she rummaged through her bag.

"What?" was all Teddy could reply with.

Elizabeth struggled in the dark trying to find her gun when she heard Chelsea yell.

"Get your hands off me!" Chelsea yelled at shadows in her kitchen trying to calm her.

"Ma'am, please be quiet. We are security for Mrs. Carmichael and Mr. Grey". The security responded.

"Oh, okay. Makes sense." Chelsea nodded sarcastically before screaming, "What the fuck is going on?"

"Oh shit." Was all that Elizabeth could get out before going down to meet Chelsea.

Elizabeth blindly found the door with Teddy holding her hand.

"Shouldn't I be in front of you? To protect you?" He said questioning her taking the lead.

"Well considering we're blind right now and I know this house better than you. Probably not." Elizabeth replied dragging him down the hall.

"Chelsea, it's okay. We're coming down. They are here to help." Elizabeth screamed from the top of the stairs, finally able to see the flashlights and the situation downstairs.

"Everyone shut up!" whispered a security team member.

Teddy and Elizabeth maneuvered their way down the stairs using the railing as a guide. When they reached the bottom, two more men came in announcing that the area was secure. They then continued to inform the group that it is a local power outage because the rest of the block looked like they lost power also. The entire group let out a sigh of relief before Chelsea finally broke the silence.

"I have once fantasized about hot men coming willingly into my home dressed in suits; but, it was definitely not under these circumstances. Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?" Chelsea said raising her arms in frustration before sitting down on the couch.

It took nearly an hour to explain the entire situation to Chelsea and she proved why Elizabeth loved her so much.

"So you have been screwing a billionaire?" asked Chelsea

"That's what you took from this conversation. Not the psycho or the kidnapping of Teddy's mother." Elizabeth asked laughingly.

"Why dwell on the crazy?" Chelsea said as she shrugged.

The power finally came back on and the house was lit once again.

"All of you have gotten much cuter" Chelsea told the security team before standing. "Now, may I go to my room to sleep before I work at 6am?"

"Ma'am, you don't have to ask permission." responded the security.

"Okay, I'm not sure what the etiquette is for this" she said laughing as she walked up the stairs.

"I'll get everything clear down here and we can talk about it better when your home from work tomorrow but Teddy and I are going to get some food." Elizabeth yelled at Chelsea with her only response being a hand in the air.

Teddy spoke to the security team as Elizabeth fetched her purse from upstairs putting the gun in the dresser drawer. She followed Teddy to his car noting his foul mood. They drove in silence before he went in and placed their order with Elizabeth enjoying his music selection in the car. The driver's side door opened and shut with a slam.

"They said fifteen minutes" he spoke angrily.

"You okay?" Elizabeth asked.

"Why do you have a gun?" questioned Teddy.

"My aunt taught me how to use a gun to protect myself. I have one for safety." Elizabeth responded playing with the loose string from her sweatshirt.

"They're dangerous for girls."

"Um. They are dangerous for people who lack the knowledge and training to use one." She yelled at him. "What is your problem because I'm like 99% sure that the gun is not the issue."

Teddy let out a deep breath before Elizabeth finally saw his shoulders and face relax.

"I felt out of control in the entire situation. I should be the one protecting you not the other way around." Teddy replied.

Elizabeth's anger dissipated as she heard the real reason as to why he was so upset.

"Teddy. In that situation, I was more in control because I had to be. I knew that house better than you did. I wasn't going to sit and wait for you to figure out where everything was because what good would that do? A gun is all I have to ultimately protect myself. You have your martial arts experience. I know you can protect me if or when it comes down to that. I have no reservations when it comes to your strength." She said calmly and truthfully.

He looked at her and wondered how she spoke with such conviction. She spoke so genuinely and intelligently that when paired with her beauty made her perfect to him.

"I'm sorry." He finally said.

"It's fine." Elizabeth responded. "Let's get our food and get back because I'm about to eat the leather off your chairs."

Teddy smiled as he got out of the car happy that she was quick to appease.

Elizabeth and Teddy sat on her bed recovering from a sushi coma with the T.V playing in the background. She still felt exhausted but at least her hunger had been taken care of. Teddy was lying as Elizabeth sat with her legs crossed covered with a blanket. He loved the sight of her relaxed and in bed with him. It just felt right.

"What happened with Alex?" Teddy asked.

"Well, I guess he found out that you and I were together. He left and I haven't heard from him since." Elizabeth replied smiling when she noticed Teddy smirking.

"Teddy, why do you think Hyde's son would be interested in me?" she asked him lending the conversation a more serious tone.

"We don't know how long he's been watching us and you are the only girl I have "hung" out with consistently. He might think were more serious than what we are." Teddy said not knowing how Elizabeth would feel about what he just told her.

"It makes sense I guess." She replied noticing Teddy ignoring his phone for the fifth time. "Who keeps calling?

"My parents." Teddy told her as he started to text.

"They're probably worried about you. I would like to meet them soon though considering they are paying for the security following me everywhere." She said monitoring his expressions.

Panic filled Teddy's body as he didn't know how to respond. Excuses ran through his mind as he sorted to find an appropriate one. Elizabeth picked up on his panic not knowing his reasons for his hesitancy. She placed her hand on his cheek and moved his face so he had to look at her.

"Whenever you're ready and just as friends." Elizabeth spoke softly with a smile.

"What if I want to be more than friends with you?" He asked as he started to sit up.

Panic filled Elizabeth's body as she didn't know how to respond. This time her mind filled with excuses as she tried to find one to pacify him. She couldn't think of anything specific to tell him for why she didn't want that and could only reply with, "I can't".

Teddy's smile disappeared as he heard her response. He had never been rejected before. His looks, money, and car were usually enough to reel a girl in and he couldn't figure out what she needed from him. He stood and gathered his things to leave.

"I'm sorry." Was all Elizabeth could get out while she watched him leave. He denied her any form of forgiveness of any expression and walked out leaving her to her guilt.

Elizabeth sat and fought back her tears. She had never let anyone get attached to her or let herself get attached to someone else. She wanted him here with her but she just couldn't. Elizabeth had never been so confused about what she wanted. Teddy had made her question everything.

Grace sat up panicked when she heard a pounding on their door. Carrick lay next to her snoring giving no hints he heard anything. "Old man" she huffed when she quickly got up and covered herself with a robe walking fast to the front door. She peeked through the keyhole to see her grandson Teddy.

"Teddy! Do you know what time it is? Is everything okay?" Grace spoke as she opened the door and let him in.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just I don't want to go home tonight. Can I stay here again?" Teddy asked looking exhausted.

"Of course, my dear. Honey just go on up and get some rest. I'll bug you in the morning about what has brought you here." She replied kissing him on the forehead. "I'm heading back to bed though. An old woman needs her beauty sleep."

Teddy lay in bed staring at his phone looking at Elizabeth's pictures. He had a picture on his phone of her in a loose sweater with her shoulder bare. Her hair was tied up loosely as free strands framed her face and her legs covered in a fleece blanket. She was studying and trying to finish a paper before he could have her. She teased him the entire time by allowing him to see she only had panties on underneath the blanket and seductively biting at her pencil. He tried to ignore her by focusing on the T.V when she grabbed the remote from his hand and threw it. Elizabeth crawled up on top of him giving him full view of her breasts. He put his hands through the back of her hair and forced her mouth to his. A moan escaped her lips and he could feel the heat come from her body.

Teddy took his boxers off; getting turned on by the memory. He closed his eyes trying to bring her as close as possible and gripped himself when he remembered her scent on him. She had been grinding on him when he threw her sweater off and onto the floor. Elizabeth then took her hands up under his shirt, dragging her nails up and lifting the material off his body. She then moved to his jeans as she unbuttoned them with her teeth making Teddy exhale hard. Teddy's breath and grip fastened as the memory took over of him flipping her over and thrusting into her hard. She cried out in pleasure when he grabbed her breasts as he pushed harder and faster. Her dark hair falling loosely on her chest and then thrown back as Elizabeth tossed her head back with desire. He could feel her fingernails dig in his skin and drag down his back when she came all over him and she uttered his name. "Ohh Teddy." That was all he needed for his release before whispering her name. "Ahhh, Elizabeth." His last thought of her laying on his chest before he fell asleep.

Teddy came out of the bathroom in disbelief that he had slept in until noon; his shoulders still carrying most of his stress when he entered the kitchen to see his grandmother sitting at the table.

"Good morning sunshine. Jason made burgers for lunch if you're hungry." Grace said to her grandson sensing his stress.

"Morning Grandma" Teddy replied as he inhaled the burger.

"So want to tell me what the reason was for your visit? I love having you here and all to myself but I'm assuming that I'm not the reason you came at 2 in the morning." Grace spoke, finally putting down the magazine she had been reading.

"It's a girl. I like her…a lot. She's intelligent, strong, and beautiful but she doesn't want me." Teddy responded irritated with the last part.

"She doesn't want you or she's scared of a relationship? Your father has told me a little about her and I wouldn't blame her for her fear of relationships." Grace told Teddy intently.

"That is none of his business to tell. I'm going to kill him." Teddy replied angrily.

"Well my precious grandson, you might want to speak to your father or at least call him back. He's having dinner tonight and Elizabeth will be in attendance." Said Grace smiling.

Teddy grabbed his phone and immediately dialed his father's number.


	7. Chapter 7: A Helping Hand

_Thank you to all of those who have followed and made this story a favorite of theirs. It's definitely motivation to keep going. The few that have reviewed, Thank you so much. You have played a large part in continuing this story. This chapter is a happy one for all involved. The drama will pick back up soon and the next chapter is where you find out what really happened between Teddy and his parents. I know I revealed in a previous chapter that Teddy knows of the playroom and the conversation is interesting! I hope you enjoy this chapter! _

Chapter 7: A Helping Hand

"Chelsea!" Elizabeth yelled really needing her best friend.

"Yes Ma'am." She replied walking in to see Elizabeth in cream lace underwear and bra.

"Well, it wouldn't be the outfit I would choose to meet Teddy's parents but I admire your self-confidence." She said joking as she jumped on the bed.

"I have nothing to wear." Elizabeth groaned falling back on her bed.

"I am in favor of your current outfit. And since when are you ever confused about what to wear? I have never witnessed you so nervous Elizabeth Carmichael."

"You are so much help. I have three outfits laid out on the floor. Pick one" She said covering her eyes in frustration.

"Done." Chelsea exclaimed putting the outfit on the bed. "I think this is the perfect combination of classy, casual, and sexy and your legs will look amazing." She finished dramatically.

* * *

Teddy texted Elizabeth to let her know he was outside when he saw her emerge from the house. She had skinny jeans on, pumps, and a black blazer with her hair in a messy braid coming down her shoulder. He wasn't surprised at her outfit considering he had been with her a handful of times watching her get ready to go out. She had a routine he had always believed was comical that began with her makeup and hair. She then would stand at her closet for ten minutes studying it before grabbing the exact outfit she would wear. He had always loved watching her be so decisive and in control and it didn't hurt that she was always usually in just a bra and underwear. The door opened and he immediately inhaled her perfume as he was met with a smile.

Elizabeth loved seeing Teddy with his hair brushed back and to the side. Strands would always fall astray and they would frame his face perfectly. He had on grey jeans, a mustard colored button up that was messily tucked in and brown dress shoes. Teddy had always been good with putting clothes on and even better at taking them off causing her to smirk at the thought when he sped away from Chelsea's.

"I'm sorry about tonight. Your father was so persistent and I felt bad with him paying to protect me." She rambled hoping he wasn't more upset with her after last night.

"It's okay. He told me he bullied you into the decision to come." He said laughing.

"And about last night. I'm sorry. It's just I overheard you the other morning probably talking to your father about how I didn't mean anything and I'm not mad at that comment because I know our relationship is casual but then to hear you say what you did last night scared and confused me at the same time." Elizabeth said nervously picking at her hair tie on her wrist.

Teddy had never seen her so nervous. She was usually so collected and controlled.

"I had never meant it that way. I thought that by telling my father that then he would have cancelled the security detail. I figured the security detail would just draw more attention to you making you a bigger target than what you should be. You do mean something to me and I want you to know that you did before any of this happened, I just felt that I never meant anything more than sex to you and to be honest I have never had to work for a girl this hard before." He replied honestly tired of trying to pick his sentences carefully.

Elizabeth grew even more nervous as anxiety started to build.

"I just don't know how?" She answered back looking at him confused.

"How what?" He asked confused also.

"How I can mean more than sex to you?" She asked so seriously that it shocked Teddy.

He stared at her and watched how nervous she was and instantly his heart broke for her as he finally saw just how much damage her past had really done. She jumped out of the car as soon as they stopped and fell against the car desperate for deep breaths. She felt Teddy's hand on her back rubbing up and down gently calming her.

"Let's go inside just as friends. Just tell me if it's too much for you and we'll leave." He told her calmly putting his own concerns aside about the dinner.

Elizabeth inhaled deeply and then smiled at him feeling better with some pressure released. She let him guide her inside the home which took her breath away. It was an absolutely breathtaking home with stunning landscaping. A modern update of an older home that she knew that probably only the best designer had a hand in.

"This is your house?" She asked with amazement.

"It was, but yes I grew up here." He told her proudly.

"Here we go." He uttered as he opened the door.

They walked into an amazing front entryway with astonishing artwork covering the walls. The floors were an updated maple with the walls a warm gold.

"Teddy!" Ana yelled with excitement and couldn't believe just how beautiful Elizabeth was. She could have easily been a model if she was a couple inches taller.

"Mom, this is Elizabeth." He said bringing her forward.

"Hi, it's so nice to meet you Mrs. Grey. " Elizabeth said smiling warmly.

"It's so nice to meet you and please call me Ana. My husband is around here somewhere but he is very excited to meet you too!." Said Ana tenderly.

"Elizabeth. We are so happy to have you join us this evening." A deep male voice echoed as Christian came around the corner.

"I'm very happy to be here. A little nervous but it's the least I can do with everything you're doing for me." She replied then looking at Teddy to gain some strength.

"It's the least we can do. We have some wine and cheese in the living room." Ana said motioning the group to follow her.

Teddy watched Elizabeth with his parents. She was absolutely charming and spoke with her usual intelligence and wit and his parents quickly fell for her too. He wasn't surprised because she made it easy. His mother asked him to help her in the kitchen making him nervous to leave Elizabeth with his father.

"I'll be fine." Elizabeth told him reassuringly.

Teddy helped his mother bring the food to the table making him miss their family dinners and spending time with her. When he came back in the kitchen he found his mother putting a pie in the oven.

"It's pumpkin. Your favorite." Ana said with a smile. "Elizabeth is a wonderful girl. So full of knowledge and absolutely beautiful." She added.

"Mom, she doesn't think anyone could love her or even want anything but, you know." He said nervously to his mother.

"Honey, from a very young age, she has only ever known that. It doesn't surprise me that she would feel that way and I know it's shocking hearing such a stunning and delightful girl speak like that but she doesn't know any better. Every male in her life since she was young has not ever made her feel loved but used. If you really want to pursue something with her, it's not going to be easy. I don't want you to get hurt but you really have to make sure that a relationship with her is something you want because getting her to open up and then deciding it's not what you want could quite possibly break her." Ana told her son knowing he needed to hear this. "You know, she is much like your father was when I first met him although, he wasn't as charming as her." She laughed.

Teddy stood there and took in everything she said. He loved his mother for her honesty and not just telling him what he wanted to hear and knew that if it was possible for his parents, then they could make it too. He would just have to work at showing her just how easy she is to love. "Thank you." He told his mother as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Of course honey." She replied while gathering some napkins.

All Ana could do was grin at her son, so happy that she could help him. It had been too long that he let her in like this and it made her heart melt.

Christian took advantage of his son helping Ana in the kitchen.

Elizabeth smiled at Teddy's father and stood to look at their family pictures on the fireplace decorated with garland and ornaments.

"As a wealthy businessman, I often do background checks on all of the people I do business with or that my family and I deal with. This includes you." Christian noticed the panic immediately arrive on Elizabeth's face. "I want you to know that I went through something similar. I was born to a drug addict that I'm sure as you know brings dangerous people around. I was adopted which saved my life." He said seeing Elizabeth relax a little.

She felt offended at first that he felt he could speak of such serious things being so wealthy but hearing that he had been through something similar connected them.

"I'm sorry for what you went through." Was all she could respond with, hating to talk about her past.

"You do not need to apologize especially when you consider your own childhood." He quickly added

"Is this about Teddy? Because I would never intentionally hurt him" Elizabeth interrupted.

"I love Teddy but I want you to know that everyone deserves a happy ending. I know I always felt undeserving." Christian replied surprised by his honesty with her but he had never met anyone that reminded him so much of himself.

"How did you do it?" She asked.

"What? Fall in love?" Christian answered back.

"No. Let someone love you?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Ana showed me that I could be loved. I know exactly how you feel, like our pasts taint us somehow but after a while, it is no longer our pasts. We become our own worst enemies by not letting ourselves feel any happiness thinking it's what we deserve but within that thinking we let every one of those people in our pasts win. I also think you give it a chance because the pain of wondering what could have been would be ten times more agonizing than getting your heart broken." Christian countered when Ana walked in.

"Dinner's ready. C'mon, let's eat." Ana announced before leaving the room.

"Thank you." Elizabeth told Christian as she followed him into the dining room.

The dinner went great as all four were relaxed. Teddy noticed a shift in Elizabeth's mood and she had her hand on his leg the entire time as if anchoring herself to him. He didn't know what had changed in the past ten minutes but he couldn't have felt better. Teddy loved watching his parents and Elizabeth interact. They laughed and joked, spoke politics, and drank wine; it was a happy moment for all of them as Elizabeth made important realizations, Teddy appreciated his parents again, and Christian and Ana had their son back.

After dinner, Christian and Ana went up to bed as Teddy and Elizabeth went to the media room to watch a movie. She was like a little kid, never being in a personal movie room before. It had 12 large brown leather recliners in front of a large projection screen. He started the movie as they lay in a recliner. Elizabeth lay between his legs, her back to his front and her head on his chest. Teddy sat grazing his fingers up and down her arm when she spoke quietly,

"I'm sorry about the other night. I act strong and most times I feel it but around you I feel vulnerable. I grew up being vulnerable all the time and the feeling terrifies me. It's what I felt when you said what you did but the idea of not being around you terrifies me more. I want to be with you and I'm ready to try." She was glad he couldn't see her talk because it would make her more self-conscious than what she already felt about telling him something so personal.

"What changed your mind?" He asked surprised.

"Your father. He's a pretty wise man." She said smiling.

Teddy couldn't believe it. He had been so mean to his father for the past two years and his dad held no grudges or even anger towards Teddy. Guilt overtook Teddy when he felt Elizabeth's arm go limp and her breathing slow. He smiled seeing her sleep knowing she needed it. He lifted her and brought her upstairs to his room awkwardly trying to get the bed spread pulled down and he laid her down slowly. He took off her jewelry, pants, and blazer making her more comfortable. She didn't move one bit and he knew she must not have slept very well last night along with the past week. As soon as she was tucked in he knew he had to go talk to his parents. When he knocked on their bedroom door to see if they were still awake, both Christian and Ana spoke in unison telling him to come in. He took a deep breath preparing him for the long overdue conversation they were about to have and relaxed knowing that this would bring them back together.


	8. Chapter 8: The Calm Before the Storm

_I worked hard to get this chapter up as soon as possible so that it could answer some of the questions about Phoebe. I do have Finals this week so I will be busier than usual but I will be able to continually update in about two weeks on a regular basis again because I'll be on break. I'm throwing a huge curveball at ya in the next couple of chapters but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think! _

Chapter 8: The Calm Before the Storm.

Teddy entered his parents' room to find them both in bed; his mother watching T.V and his father reading an Entrepreneurship magazine.

"You two are getting old" he said as he sat in the chair across from their bed.

His mother laughed as she turned the T.V off and his father put his magazine down. Teddy ran his hands through his hair nervously twice before gaining enough courage to speak.

"Mom. Dad. I'm sorry for how I have acted towards both of you since that day. You both have proven to me today that you will always be there for me and I feel so guilty for not providing you both that same security. I love you both and I'm so ashamed at my behavior. I was never raised this way and I'm sorry if you felt like you had failed in any way because of it." Teddy spoke looking at his parents as he talked.

Tears formed in Ana's eyes as she saw her handsome son speak so gracefully and with enough courage to admit when he was wrong.

"Teddy, you coming in here and saying what you just did proves we did not fail son. I am so proud of you and your strength to apologize to us. We would love you and protect you whether this conversation happened or not but we have been yearning for this day for you to come home and forgive us." Christian said strongly to his son.

"Forgive you? For what, being a normal couple? So, you two have a room specifically for that purpose, it's because you can afford it. Walking in on you two," Teddy suddenly shuddered at the thought but continued, "Walking in on you two, I was overwhelmed, embarrassed, and angry. At first I didn't know what you both were doing in there with all of those things and I didn't know how to handle it. I googled it and everything on the lifestyle was pretty hardcore online. Some call it abusive and others praise it. I never should have looked it up on the internet; it just confused and scared me more. I believed what I read online more than I should have. I should have spoken to you both about it after it happened but my thoughts got the best of me. I hated you both for the distance and awkwardness you put between us but also I felt like you could have protected me from that room better and Phoebe. Thank God it wasn't her that walked in on you both; however, I realize I was the one that put that distance between us that day when I decided to blame you for it. I'm just so sorry I didn't talk to you guys about it sooner. I was 20 years old, angry, and judging my parents for being a happily married couple. At least that's how I see it now." Teddy told his parents truthfully.

"Teddy, honey. Your father and I would have never been in there knowing you were home. We weren't expecting you that day. We are both so sorry we weren't more careful in protecting you from the embarrassment of seeing your parents in that way. We love you sweetheart. We are so glad we have had as much time with you in this past week because it feels right when your home. We have missed you." Ana replied with tears falling down her face.

Teddy stood and went over to his mother wiping her tears away. "Mom, you're too beautiful and too rich to be crying." He said before hearing her laugh. "I've missed you" he spoke as he hugged her harder than he ever had. He then sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his father. "You will never know how much it means to me to know you helped Elizabeth tonight. I will forever work to be the son that you had always hoped I'd be." Teddy told his father giving him direct eye contact knowing that his father would expect it.

"You are the son I'd hoped you'd be and all of the money in the world could not pay for the immense pride I feel right now." Christian said to his son with his shoulders and head held high.

Teddy smiled thankful that he could forgive his parents and his parents could forgive him. It was the most stressful situation for him on a daily basis not having the bond he once had with them. He didn't want to keep them up much longer considering the time.

"I need to go to sleep. Elizabeth is asleep in my bed and I have to get up early to take her to clinicals." He told them rubbing his eyes.

"Well, don't forget your sister is coming home tomorrow from school for winter break. She'll be in around noon or so." His mother said with excitement.

"Yay. I'm so excited." Teddy yelled sarcastically.

His father laughed before thanking him for their talk. Teddy walked back to his room immediately feeling stress and pressure lift off him. He felt lighter emotionally and when he opened the door to see Elizabeth curled up around a pillow, he couldn't do anything but smile, strip to his boxers and climb in next to her for their first night as a couple.

* * *

Elizabeth awoke at the sound of her alarm on her phone and noticed Teddy didn't move. She was not a morning person in fact it made her an agitated person. She got out of bed and went into his bathroom to splash cold water on her face. Smelling his cologne already made the morning better but remembering that today was her last clinical before graduating made her smile even wider. She got her clothes on and lay next to Teddy running her hands through his hair trying to wake him slowly.

"Teddy." She whispered. "It's time to get up."

Elizabeth gave him soft kisses on his head, cheeks, and neck before he finally moved. He opened his eyes to see her smiling brightly at him.

"I'm up." He finally said sitting up slowly. Teddy threw some sweatpants on and a sweatshirt before sliding his tennis shoes on. Elizabeth watched him sleepily go through the motions laughing at his eyes being shut half the time. She then stepped in front of him and kissed him hard.

"Good morning. We can pick up some coffee on the way." She exclaimed trying to hurry him so her plan could begin.

They drove in silence holding hands as he couldn't believe he was up at 5 a.m. Elizabeth had to be at the hospital at 6 so he knew he had to hurry. He pulled into a parking space at her condo building and waited for her to get out.

"Do the boyfriend thing and come in with me please. I haven't been in since that night." She spoke quietly and pleadingly.

Teddy smiled and got out of the car following her inside to her bedroom to watch her get ready. As soon as they were in there, Elizabeth turned around with a devilish look on her face.

"You know, I think I got the time wrong. I'm actually pretty sure that I don't have to be at the hospital until 7. Silly me. What ever will we do with this extra time?" Elizabeth spoke seductively before stripping to her cream lace panties and bra.

"Did you plan this Elizabeth Carmicheal?" Teddy asked as he threw his sweatshirt off.

"A girl has needs Teddy." She said unhooking her bra.

"Being your boyfriend is really, really hard." He said sarcastically before tackling her to the bed. They kissed each other hard and desperately before getting lost in the extra hour they had.

Teddy showered and ate breakfast before settling in the study with his father. They both sat there talking about what Teddy plans for his Marketing and Graphic Design degrees which included starting an Advertising Agency. They started working on an initial business plan when they both heard her.

"Daddy! I'm home!" Phoebe screamed heading towards the study.

Both Christian and Teddy walked out of the study to see Phoebe shocked that her brother was home.

"Teddy! My two favorite boys are together again!" she spoke excitingly as she hugged them both.

"Where's mom. I have brought someone you guys need to meet." She said, motioning them to follow her.

"100 bucks she had a baby." Teddy told his father only to see him glare at him making Teddy laugh.

Ana finally came down the stairs only to be embraced by her excited 20 year old daughter. "I have missed you! Now come here. I want you all to meet Ben, my boyfriend!" she told them eagerly.

Everyone's face registered with surprise that she brought a guy home. Teddy laughed seeing his father look agitated and anxious. His sweet little Phoebe brought a guy home for the first time.

"Ben, I'm Ana. It's very nice to meet you. I'm sorry for our surprise, it's just that Phoebe here has neglected to tell us anything about you." Ana stated giving her daughter a look.

"Ma'am, it's so nice to meet you. Phoebe talks about you often." Ben replied with a bright smile.

He seemed eerily familiar to Ana for some reason. She didn't know why or who he reminded her of but she knew at this point getting both her men to act kindly was her main priority.

"This is my husband Christian and Phoebe's older brother Teddy." Ana announced pushing them both towards Ben. Christian simply turned and gave Taylor a look who nodded knowing what he wanted.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." They both grumbled at him.

"Well, that went better than expected." Phoebe spoke fast. "We're going to go hang out in the pool." Phoebe dragged Ben away from what she knew would be her mother convincing her father to be nicer.

"I will never understand why you had a second child." Teddy told his parents as he laughed. "I'm going to meet Elizabeth for lunch at the hospital and then I'll be home for this wonderful family dinner and Elizabeth will not be coming. She has plans already." He told them before walking out.

Ana simply gave her husband a look before motioning him upstairs to persuade him to let their daughter have a winter break free of an agitated father.

* * *

Elizabeth finally got to Chelsea's from clinicals happy that Teddy joined her for lunch and even happier that she was officially done with school. She took a shower and threw on a sweater with leggings and found Chelsea jumping excitedly on the couch.

"Ready to celebrate? I have champagne, junk food, and Tudors season 2 and 3 on DVD" Chelsea spoke thrilled.

"Duh. I couldn't think of anything better!" Elizabeth replied happily.

They had drunk the champagne and finished a second bottle of wine plus an entire bag of chips.

"Henry Cavill is a hottie tottie." Chelsea announced whistling at the screen.

"I would bang him for sure. More than once most likely" Elizabeth replied laughing.

"You know, Teddy looks like him." Chelsea said, shaking her head at Elizabeth. "You lucky bitch"

They both started laughing when she got a text from Teddy.

**Teddy Grey**: You both up for company? My cousin Jake is home from school and were both bored.

Elizabeth smiled knowing that as soon as she told Chelsea that a guy was coming over, she would die of embarrassment from her Christmas tree pajamas and her hair up in a scrunchie.

"Hey, Teddy and his cousin Jake are outside. I've seen pictures of him before and he is so hot." Elizabeth told Chelsea trying to sound as serious as possible.

"What!? Elizabeth!" she shrieked before getting up and heading for the stairs only to completely wipe out on the wood floor.

"I'm. just. Kidding" was all Elizabeth could get out between laughs. "I. can't. breathe." She snorted when she heard Chelsea laughing hysterically.

They both were rolling on the floor laughing before Chelsea came over and threw a pillow at her.

"But seriously, would you want them to come over?" she asked Chelsea looking amused.

"Yes, I would love to meet another Grey. Oh and will you move in here with me?" Chelsea asked taking Elizabeth by surprise.

"What?"

"Well I know you only have a month left on your lease and you practically live here anyways. So will you move in with me?" Chelsea asked smiling.

"Umm, yah! I would love to!" She shrieked jumping on her best friend. They both headed upstairs to get themselves looking decent enough for company.

Teddy and Jake both came over to see the damage both girls had done on the alcohol and junk food.

"I think I like her already." Jake told Teddy when they saw the girls come down the stairs.

Elizabeth had put makeup on and braided her hair while Chelsea put heels on, skinny jeans, and a sequined sweater. Teddy gave Elizabeth a look making her laugh.

"Elizabeth, Chelsea, this is Jake my cousin. He's my Uncle Elliot's son." Teddy said introducing them to each other.

Jake had a similar build to Teddy but had lighter hair and green eyes. Elizabeth could tell Chelsea had a stamp of approval for the looks department because she kept nudging her in the arm. They all sat, drank, and played cards when Elizabeth and Teddy went upstairs to leave them alone. Jake and Teddy were not sober enough to drive so they had decided to stay. When they reached the bedroom, Teddy noticed Elizabeth smiling to herself.

"May I ask what has you smiling like that?" He asked her stripping down to his boxers.

"I don't know. Life is just good right now. We haven't heard anything from Hyde's son in a while and I have a great best friend and you. I'm just happy I guess." She uttered shocking herself at what it felt like.

"Well, prepare to be even happier." Teddy told her as he got out a small box and opened it showing a Michael Kors oversized gold watch. "Congratulations my sexy nurse" he whispered putting the watch on for her.

"I wanted to buy a Rolex but I knew you would never accept that so I don't want any complaints about receiving a gift." Teddy told her seriously.

"I love it. Thank you." She smiled at him. "But seriously, you" was all she could get out before Teddy stopped her with a kiss. He then continued to make her forget about everything else for the rest of the night.

* * *

"Sir, the background check on Benjamin Eberth finally came back." Taylor told Christian.

"And?" Christian countered.

"Well it came back clean. Too clean, and according to these records; Benjamin Eberth just showed up on the map three years ago. There are no other records for him before that. It could be a technical glitch; were not sure yet." Taylor told his boss.

"Okay, I'll let Ana know but figure out what's going on with him and have him watched anytime he steps out of this house." Christian said critically.

"Well, this makes for an interesting night." Christian whispered to himself.


	9. Chapter 9: The Winding Forest

_Good news! I finished two of my final projects yesterday giving me time to write this up last night. I decided against my initial curveball last night and took the story a different direction. I hope you enjoy this chapter! As always let me know what you think and Thank you to all of those who have favorited, followed, or reviewed this story. _

Chapter 9: The Winding Forest

Teddy woke to his phone alerting him of a text message. His head feeling heavier than usual and turning over to look at his phone now became a mission. "God," he groaned as he slowly rolled over to look at his phone. The bright screen hurt his eyes causing him to squint when reading the text message.

**Dad**: _Ben just went into town. Can you do breakfast with him? If you can, see if you can get some information out of him. His background check is questionable. Text me back. _

Teddy threw his head back in frustration and let out a sigh which he felt regret for immediately afterwards.

"Not feeling so hot?" Elizabeth asked trying not to laugh as she brought him some water and Tylenol.

"How long have you been up?" He asked before kissing her as a gesture of thanks.

"Not long." She replied, sitting down next to him.

"I have to go to breakfast with Phoebe's boyfriend." He told her, getting up from the bed shakily. "I feel like shit. Some food will probably do me some good."

Teddy got dressed slowly and kissed Elizabeth before knocking on Chelsea's door.

"Jake, we gotta go." Teddy yelled, hurting his own head.

Jake and Chelsea both emerged looking about as great as Teddy did. Chelsea didn't say anything but threw the peace sign at them as she climbed into bed with Elizabeth. Elizabeth laughed at all three of them and watched the boys leave.

"How did it go last night?" Elizabeth asked Chelsea after hearing the front door shut.

"He called me adorable." Chelsea mumbled into the pillow.

"And"

"And I showed him how much sexier I am than adorable." She replied finally looking at Elizabeth with a smirk.

"Nicely done my friend. Nicely done." Elizabeth said laughingly as they both fell back asleep.

Teddy was thankful for his sunglasses as he and Jake were walking to the restaurant. He found Ben already waiting in a booth for them and immediately ordered coffee as soon as they sat.

"Rough night?" Ben asked them both.

"Just a little." Teddy replied before introducing him to Jake.

Ben didn't talk very much most likely because he knew that Teddy and Jake weren't ready for a conversation yet which Teddy was thankful for. The hangover started to disappear once he started eating and after his second cup of coffee, he started to feel somewhat normal again.

"Phoebe said your girlfriend just graduated from Nursing School?" Ben asked trying to fill the silence.

"Yeah. She still needs to take her boards but she's done with school." Teddy told him grateful that his head could handle sound again.

"How is it dating a nurse?"

"She diagnoses me with something daily" Teddy replied.

"So you're dying every day?" Ben questioned laughing.

"Pretty much." Said Teddy laughing also. "No, she's cool and I'm just glad she'll have more time for me now. So where are you from?" Teddy asked executing his father's plan.

"A small farm town in Illinois. My parents decided to go on vacation this year for Christmas which is how Phoebe convinced me to come here." He replied looking like he was telling the truth.

"When did you guys meet?" Teddy asked wondering why his father found him questionable.

"Honestly, it wasn't that long ago. We met at my fraternity party about three weeks ago and just kinda hit if off from there." Ben told him.

Teddy continued to ask him questions playing the concerned brother role. Teddy honestly liked the guy. He seemed down to earth and was actually pretty fun to hang out with. He needed to get home to see what had his father so concerned. They finished breakfast and Teddy dropped Jake off before heading home. He found his father in the study waiting to hear how breakfast went.

"So, how did it go?" Christian asked his son as soon as he entered the study.

"He's from Illinois. His parents are on vacation. He met Phoebe at a fraternity party and he's going to school for Law. He has no siblings and is an extreme Chicago Bears fan." Teddy rambled off.

"It just doesn't make any sense. Some of that information matches his background check and some of it doesn't. Recheck it!" He yelled at Taylor through the intercom.

"Well what was wrong with his background check?" Teddy asked curiously.

"We only have information on him starting three years ago. It could be a technical glitch but we have checked twice." He told his son confused with their results.

"Dad, you're getting paranoid in your old age." Teddy told his father not believing that anything was wrong with Ben.

"I need his license. I need to see if it matches the one we have from his check. See if you can take him out again tomorrow and I'll send someone in there to get it." He told Teddy and Teddy knew it wasn't a request.

"Fine, but you better hope Phoebe doesn't find out." He told his father before heading upstairs to shower.

* * *

Elizabeth awoke around ten upset that she wasted almost half her day sleeping. She got herself showered and ready and left Chelsea to recover by herself. The hospital was busy for a Saturday but around Christmas time it wasn't surprising. She got in the elevator and pressed the number for the children's unit excited to volunteer today. She was singing in the Christmas program and also helping decorate some of the children's room. She wore an oversized ugly Christmas sweater with skinny jeans and red sparkly flats that many of them had loved last weekend. She got to the children's floor to be bombarded by three of their regular children giving her hugs and excitedly telling her how much they loved her shoes. Her team leader smiled at her and gave her the room numbers she would be helping today and her costume for the show. She had finished one room when she was stopped as she was heading to the next one.

"Hi, I'm a new volunteer and I'm supposed to make copies of these but I'm not sure where to go."

Elizabeth looked up from her list and thought it was Teddy asking at first. He dressed just like him and had his hair styled the same but he had lighter hair and hazel eyes instead of dark brown. Elizabeth smiled at him surprised because they never had many male volunteers.

"Um, you can go to the nurses station and they'll copy those for ya. Ask the older nurse. Her name is Glenda and flash her a smile. She likes the male volunteers as we rarely get any. I'm Elizabeth by the way." She told him still shocked at how much he dressed like Teddy.

"Chris" he replied. "Thank you. It's a bit hectic around here today."

"You're welcome. If you need anything, I'll be in room 212 decorating." Elizabeth told him before walking away.

She finished decorating the rooms and visiting with some of her favorites when she headed to the cafeteria for some lunch. The salad line was busy but it was the only thing Elizabeth felt like eating after last night's junk food binge. She got her salad and found an empty table when she saw Teddy had texted her asking if she wanted to do lunch. She felt bad that she hadn't looked at her phone earlier and texted him back telling him she was already eating but that she would do an early dinner if he wanted to pick her up. Her phone went off as she read that he liked that plan making her excited that she would be seeing him soon.

"Mind if I join you?"

Elizabeth looked up to find Chris with a tray of food.

"No, not at all." Elizabeth replied smiling at him.

"Sorry. I don't know many people. I just moved here and none of the other volunteers from upstairs are down here but you." He told her feeling as though he was intruding.

"It's not a big deal. Where did you move to?" She asked trying to make conversation. Elizabeth hated silence with strangers.

"I moved here about two weeks ago into the condo's a couple blocks away." He responded as he ate his food.

"Oh, which ones? I live close by also." She said genuinely curious.

"Oak Creek Condo's."

"Oh, I live there too! Well I'm moving out in a couple of weeks but that's crazy. In the year I have lived there, I haven't met many of my neighbors." She told him excited that they had something in common.

"That sucks your moving out. It's nice to know someone finally. If you ever need anything I'm on the second floor in 212." He told her watching her get up.

"I'll keep that in mind. I better get back up there to help though." She told him before leaving to go upstairs.

They had just finished setting up for the Christmas program when Elizabeth put on her Elf costume. She laughed before reminding herself it was for a good cause. She stepped out only to be laughed at by her regulars telling her she looked funny. Elizabeth smiled as she heard them laugh knowing that their laughter was the exact reason she was there.

Teddy walked onto the Children's unit smiling at the handmade decorations obviously done by the children and at the laughter he heard down the hall. He followed their sounds when he stepped to the back of the room to see Elizabeth on stage getting ready to sing. All of the children loved her as one of them screamed "I love you Elizabeth." Teddy looked to see his competition was a young bald boy maybe 12. He laughed seeing Elizabeth wink at him and he started to nudge his friends proudly. Teddy watched her sing, wanting to tell everyone that she was his girlfriend. Her voice was beautiful and he was shocked that he never knew she could sing. He truly was the luckiest guy there when Elizabeth finally noticed him in the back of the room. She winked at him while continuing to finish the song and then finished two more. They finished the Christmas program with a funny skit causing the whole room to stand and applaud. This had brightened Teddy's day completely and added to his already building admiration for Elizabeth. He waited for Elizabeth outside of the bathroom while she changed. She came out in a red and green striped sweater, skinny jeans, and red glittered flats. Elizabeth laughed when she saw Teddy's reaction to her outfit.

"It's not much better than my costume, I know, but it was for the kids." She told him, giggling.

"So we're hitting up a drive thru for dinner then." He joked back before kissing her.

They were walking to the elevator when Teddy saw the 12 year old boy that had professed his love for Elizabeth earlier. He immediately let go of Elizabeth's hand and put some distance between them.

Confused, Elizabeth asked if he was okay.

Teddy then motioned his head towards Caleb, the young boy who had screamed at her during the program. "We can't break his heart and honestly I feel like I'm stealing his girl."

Elizabeth laughed before waving good bye to Caleb and blowing him a kiss. When they made it around the corner, Teddy grabbed her hand again.

Dinner was delicious and Elizabeth couldn't believe how hungry she actually was. The salad had left her starving by the time they got to the restaurant. The conversation had grown somewhat frustrating as Elizabeth had to work to convince Teddy that she was staying at her apartment alone tonight. He was completely against it but she felt as though she needed to get over her fear from that night and she needed a whole night of sleep by herself. Teddy finally agreed begrudgingly because he didn't want to spend the entire dinner arguing. He found himself more worried than she was on the drive back to her apartment. She had drank two glasses of wine hoping that they would help her fall asleep when she got to her apartment but then it meant that Teddy had to drive her home.

"I'll be fine. I promise. I have your father's security and you will be the first call if I need anything." She told him as she put her forehead against his. "Don't worry. I'll call you in the morning for breakfast."

"Fine." He finally sighed and kissed her.

Elizabeth walked into her apartment and turned on every light while she checked every room, closet, and corner for anything. When she felt comfortable enough, she lay down in bed and turned the T.V on, knowing that the silence would be dangerous for her first night back. The wine did nothing as it took her two hours to fall asleep but she welcomed it as the stress of being back there had exhausted her.

Nausea had hit Elizabeth's stomach hard waking her up in panic. She struggled to get off her bed and sprinted to the bathroom as soon as her feet had hit the carpet. She finally found a break after having nothing else to throw up when she finally realized the reason for her nausea.


	10. Chapter 10: Release

_This chapter is longer than the previous ones. A lot of information is revealed in this chapter and I didn't delve too deep into Elizabeth's past because I do believe that they need to be able to have a longer discussion about it without the stress of everything else. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

Chapter 10: Release

Elizabeth sat on the floor of her bathroom recovering from throwing up. Her chest violently inhaling and exhaling when she finally realized what had made her so sick. A thick musty and spicy scent with the hint of pepper hit her nostrils and her stomach immediately reacted. The smell was overwhelming and Elizabeth struggled to stand. She knew someone had been in her apartment in the night but how he knew of that cologne when the thought hit her; her journal. Her hands found the sink as she gripped to pull herself up with any strength she had left after throwing up. It wasn't much. As she became vertical and gripped harder onto the sink, dizziness overwhelmed her. Her vision blurred and Elizabeth fought it knowing she needed to get out of her apartment now. Her legs moved with little intent as she overestimated how much strength she had left. The door frame caught her body hard as she tried to get to her bedroom when she noticed the smell got even stronger. _That Son of a Bitch smothered my apartment in his cologne, _was all she kept thinking as she made way to her side table. Her eyes were getting heavy and she knew if she didn't get out of there she would pass out. She quickly grabbed her phone and struggled towards her door not caring that she was only in a nightgown or that she wasn't able to grab anything else. The air from opening the door struck her face and Elizabeth felt a small ounce of relief before collapsing against the wall. She shut her door to keep the smell in so she could sit and try and regain some strength before moving again. She looked at her phone and couldn't believe it was 5am and she knew Chelsea would still be working so she called Teddy. The ring continued for what seemed like days when she heard his voicemail. She let her head fall back in frustration before she uttered "I need you" and hung up. It became increasingly harder to keep her head up and she fell weak to her body's needs and passed out in the hallway. Five minutes passed before she awoke viciously in panic as it took a minute to remember where she was and why she was there. She checked her phone to see Teddy hadn't called back and then remembered Chris. She stood up with her arm against the wall and used it as support, making her way to the Elevator. The second floor button lit up when she lay her head against the cold metal in the elevator praying for Teddy to call her back. The rest of the journey down the hallway was a blur when she knocked on his door. It took her a couple tries before she heard movement inside and then felt the door open. Elizabeth couldn't tell if she was going to pass out again or not when Chris opened the door and she saw Teddy's face as she breathed a sigh of relief and fell into him.

"Elizabeth? Are you okay?" Chris asked frightened at the state she was in.

This brought Elizabeth out of her delusion and she struggled to get out of his embrace.

"I need water and a shower and some clothes. I know this is insane. Trust me, but is it possible that you could refrain from asking questions for a while." She said breathlessly and ended exhausted.

"Um, yeah. I guess. I'll get the shower ready and you just sit." He told her as he handed her a glass of water.

Elizabeth sat and stared at the empty glass on the counter lost in her memories with tears running down her cheeks. _Hold it together, you're stronger than this, _Elizabeth kept telling herself breathing shallower to hold back the tears. The ringer didn't faze Elizabeth until Chris brought her out of her thoughts and told her Teddy was calling.

"Hey, are you okay?" She heard his voice say and tears formed even faster.

"I just need you." She breathed at him. "Please come and get me. I'm in a neighbor's apartment in 212." And then she saw Chris come back into the kitchen.

"Someone was in my apartment last night." She whispered into the phone so that Chris didn't hear.

"What? That Motherfucker. I'll send my security in once I get there and I'll be there soon." He told her before hanging up.

Elizabeth put the phone down feeling less stressed knowing he was coming but it was taking everything out of her not to collapse on the floor and cry out all of her stress, anxiety and fear.

"The shower is ready whenever you are. I put some sweatpants and a shirt in there for you." Chris told her looking at her with pity.

"Thank you so much. I'm so sorry to barge in on you like this." Her fingers were at her temples working hard to get the words out without crying.

"It's honestly not a big deal. You look like you need help and I told you yesterday if you ever needed anything. Now go take a shower and I'll make you some coffee." He said ushering her into the bathroom.

Elizabeth smiled at him, grateful that he wasn't asking questions yet and went in to take a shower. The continual smell of that cologne that clung to her skin and nightgown kept her on edge. She imagined the warm water on her skin washing away all of him and all of the cologne off her body and out of her hair. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Chris on the couch with two cups of coffee on the coffee table. She didn't know if she can handle the straight caffeine after being sick but she didn't want to be rude so she sat in the chair opposite of him and waited.

"My boyfriend is coming. I'm sorry again to be doing this to you. I'll come by later and drop these clothes off to you." Elizabeth spoke as she sipped her coffee.

"It's okay. I'm glad to help." He smiled warmly at her which helped with her anxiety.

"So, what do you do?" Elizabeth asked making conversation while they waited.

"I just graduated with a computer science degree. I could hack into any system if I wanted to." He said laughingly.

"I'll keep that in mind. You never know when you could use one." Her voice cracking as her throat was sore from earlier.

Teddy walked fast up the stairs to the second floor knowing that standing in an elevator even if it was only for seconds would be too long to keep his mind stable. He finally reached the door, knocked, and was greeted with a guy about his height, his weight, and with the same hair he had. His look of confusion must have been easily read because the guy quickly moved so he could see Elizabeth.

"Oh, thank god." Elizabeth sighed as she grabbed her phone and hugged him. "Thank you Chris. I'll be back later to give this stuff back and I'll explain then."

Teddy pulled her out in the hall where he could finally see just how tense and anxious she was. He could tell she had been crying.

"What happened?" He asked her desperately.

"It's a long crazy story. Can we wait until we get back to your house because I don't know how well I can keep it together if I start telling you now?" She told him begging for his cooperation.

He reluctantly agreed and held her hand the entire walk to his car and drive home. They drove in silence as she stared out the window attempting to keep her memories at a distance. They pulled into the drive when she noticed all of the cars in the driveway and immediately her anxiety rose.

"Don't worry. We'll sneak in through the back and head straight up into my room. I already told my dad not to bother us for a while." He told her sensing her worry.

As soon as they entered the room, she broke. She collapsed into his arms and sobbed feeling his hand rubbing her back. Everything she had held in for the past couple hours drained out of her through her tears and Teddy picked her up and laid them both on the bed. Teddy held onto her tightly, rubbing her back, and could sense her starting to calm when her sobs turned to whimpers. She then rolled over so he couldn't see her talk and whispered, "I'm ready." Teddy threw his arm over her and grabbed her hand hoping to give her strength for this conversation.

"How much do you know of my past? I know your father did a background check." She asked him quietly

"I overheard him talking of it a little but I only know generals." He told her surprised that this was the direction the conversation was heading.

"Most of my mother's boyfriends sexually abused me but there was one and he was the worst because I considered him different. He was so nice and charming at first but then just like the other two; he started looking at me differently. At first, like always, it started with touching and small things but he quickly escalated much farther than the other two ever did and he raped me. It happened almost every night for two weeks until my mother caught him and then she blamed me. That was when she called my aunt begging her to take me because I had ruined everything for her. My aunt came as soon as my mother told her why and picked me up. She then spent every day after telling me it wasn't my fault." She could feel Teddy's hand tighten in anger around hers when she spoke of him. "He would always smother himself in this cologne before he came into my room and that's what I woke up to this morning. My entire apartment sprayed with his cologne. When he broke in he must have taken my journal because that's the only thing that mentions anything about him." His gripped tightened even more and her tears appeared again.

"I'm so sorry" He whispered to her.

"I just don't understand why it has gotten so personal towards me?" Her question filled with desperation.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure either. We had gotten a threat last night with a phone call from him telling us that he was going to blow up my father's office building. I felt relieved that he was going to be nowhere near you last night and we were so sure because we had your security head to the building to monitor it. He planned it and knew we would remove your security giving him free reign to do whatever he wanted with you. Why though? I just don't fucking understand. "Teddy yelled, angry at their naivety.

Teddy sat up on the side of the bed and put his head in his hands. His stress and anxiety emerging as Anger as he threw a baseball from his side table at the door. Elizabeth was too exhausted to calm him before he left.

Teddy went and told his father everything and Christian could tell this was breaking his son. He ordered their chef to make Elizabeth some food when Teddy's security entered the room smelling of cheap cologne.

"As soon as you're done here, I want you all to shower and throw those clothes away." He demanded sounding just like his father.

"Yes sir. We just wanted you to know that there were no signs of a break in. He must have had a key and we found this note." The security responded handing the note to Teddy.

Teddy laid the note on the countertop for his father and him to look at. What they read shocked them.

_My beautiful Elizabeth, _

_At first I was at your apartment looking for Theodore when I found your journal. Reading your journal made me realize that we were made for each other. Our pasts defined by cruel people. I did this so you could move on from your past. I can't have you move on with me if you're still stuck there. I'm always here for you and I am the only one that will ever understand you. We will see each other again. My love, _

_C_

"Fuck!" Teddy screamed in anger after reading the note. "We have managed to make her the only target now. He doesn't give a shit about you or us anymore." He screamed at his father.

"It's Ben. Ben is Hyde's son." Christian finally told his son.

"What?"

"Ben didn't come back last night after his trip into town. He told Phoebe he was going in to get her gift for Christmas and our security lost him. He's Hyde's son. It's the only thing that adds up at all." He told his son to see the shock on Teddy's face.

Teddy didn't say anything but shake his head and walk out with Elizabeth's food. He could hear her crying from outside the door when he knew she wouldn't be able to eat or sleep until she had calmed down. He decided to call the only person he knew who might be able to give him anything to make her feel better.

"Chelsea?" Teddy spoke into his phone after dialing her number.

"Teddy, hey! Whatsup?" she replied.

"What usually makes Elizabeth feel better like on a bad day?" He asked her trying to hide his embarrassment.

"We usually dance. We throw on some music and we dance but I don't think that would work for you." Chelsea told him laughing. "I think you need to find something you both can unwind with that is completely just you two."

"I think I get it now." He told her as he finally figured out what they could do. "Thanks. I'll have her call you later"

"Okay. If you guys need anything, I'm here." She told him before hanging up.

Teddy went into the bedroom and grabbed Elizabeth's hand. "Follow me." He told her leading her down the stairs. They reached the living room where she saw the Grand Piano she loved so much the last time she was in there. He pulled the bench out from under the Piano and sat them both down.

"What are we doing?" She asked, confused.

"I'll play, you sing." He told her hoping that this would help them both.

"Okay." Was all she could get out. She did sing when she was stressed but only by herself.

"What song first?" He asked her ready to search the chords with the application his father bought them.

"Hallelujah." She told him.

Teddy searched and found the music sheet. He sat the iPad on the top of the piano and focused. His fingers found the keys and although he hadn't played in a while, his fingers danced across the piano naturally. He heard her start to sing and could feel the emotion in it. She was going to release everything with every word and him with every key.

* * *

Christian came out of his bedroom looking for his wife when he found her sitting at the top of the stairs. She had been with Phoebe all morning who was hysterically crying over Ben and he could tell how stressed Ana was. He sat down next to her. "What are you doing?" He asked her.

"Shhh. Listen" Ana replied smiling at him.

Christian sat and heard the sound of the piano surprised to hear Teddy playing again and then he heard Elizabeth singing so beautifully. They both sounded like they were in a concert and Christian could feel them playing and singing releasing everything they were feeling. He remembered when he used to play the piano for that exact same reason. Ana pushed her head under Christians arm and they both sat at the top of the stairs listening to them both release their tension through music.

Teddy could hear and feel every note he was playing, the sound so intoxicating and distracting that he just kept playing. His shoulders relaxed and his anger dissolved when he finally surfaced from his musical heaven to notice Elizabeth had finally fallen asleep with her head resting on his shoulder. He picked her up and took her upstairs and placed her in his bed where he climbed in next to her. His eyes were getting heavy when he started thinking of their morning. His trip to her apartment filled with fear and then finding her in the apartment of that guy and the nerve of him to look at him like he was intruding. _God, what was his name? _Teddy fought hard to remember when it hit him. Chris. He had heard Elizabeth call him Chris. C on the note. Teddy didn't know if he was just being paranoid but he didn't trust Chris and he still couldn't believe that Ben was Hyde's son. He texted his Dad to get him a background check on a Chris who lived in 212 at Oak Creek Condo's. After the many conclusions about Chris ran through his mind exhausting him, he knew he had to get some sleep especially before Elizabeth woke up again. He pulled her close so that her head was on his chest and he fell asleep knowing that right now in that moment she was safe and with him.


	11. Chapter 11: Christmas Cheer

_Thank you everyone who had responded to this story in any way. It is much appreciated and motivating. This is a long chapter and focuses more on the dynamic of Elizabeth and Teddy. It gets pretty steamy in the beginning but the next chapter more unfolds with the Chris, Ben, situation and with Teddy and Elizabeth. Enjoy as always and suggestions, criticisms, and praise are always welcome! I am officially done with school so hopefully updates will be on a daily basis. _

Chapter 11: Christmas Cheer.

Elizabeth woke to feel Teddy hard against her in bed. She searched for her phone in the dark to see that the time was 2 am. She couldn't believe they had slept this long since noon, but by how exhausted and stressed they both were, it didn't surprise her. Her body and mind were unusually awake and her emotions were back in check. It showed just how healing a good sleep and singing session could be, but now she was bored and feeling Teddy hard against her turned her on. _I feel bad waking him up, _said her good conscious and then her bad conscious yelled_ "DO IT_." She then decided that if he were mad at her for waking him up for sex, they were never going to work anyways.

She threw off her sweatpants and shirt and snuggled against him using her fingers to tease up his abs to his chest and then moved south. She felt uncomfortable with his parents being down the hall and so she knew she had to get him into the bathroom. She eased his pants off without him waking and grabbed her lipstick with a devilish smile plastered on her face.

Teddy woke feeling cold and Elizabeth's absence. His eyes opened to see the side table light on when he looked down to see where he was feeling the chill. "Bathroom…" was written on his stomach with a kiss print at the end. He laughed and got up finally seeing the time. _Crazy girl, _he thought as he made his way to the bathroom; hearing the shower on. His feet hit the tile floor making him feel even colder until he saw her. She was in the shower washing her hair and he had seen her naked before but seeing the water trickle down her long waist did him in. He opened the door to the shower and got in seeing her smile even though her eyes were closed. She washed the shampoo out of her hair and then turned to him. Her long wavy wet hair had stray strands falling in her face and her dark eyes stared at him with desire. He knew she wanted him and relished the moments when she was in control sexually and she always got what she wanted, especially from him. Her finger found her lips as she looked amusingly at him.

"Playing hard to get are we Mr. Grey?" Elizabeth spoke as she ran her fingernails down his chest and stomach.

"I know how much you love a challenge." He told her refraining from turning her around and driving himself into her.

"That, my boyfriend, you are not." She whispered into his ear and sucked on his ears.

She was right. He turned her around and pinned her against the shower wall. Their mouths found each other with extreme force, they both knowing this was going to rid any tension that was left. His hand found her clit as he massaged it how she liked and he could feel her reaction in her kiss. She kissed harder and then she felt his fingers enter her. It was exactly what she needed to feel as she felt him massage her g-spot. The urge to orgasm overwhelmed her as he put his hand in her mouth to keep her from screaming in pleasure. He could feel her teeth bite down on his fingers as he brought her to the edge and then stopped. Elizabeth's look of displeasure entertained him as he turned her around knowing this was one of their favorite positions. He wrapped her long hair around his hand and thrust into her hard using her hair as support. Elizabeth moaned with pleasure as he kept thrusting into her and his hand massaging her clit again. "I'm getting close baby," he told her breathless. He drove in harder and deeper when he felt her orgasm with his immediate response being his release. He held her exactly where she was for a minute so he could recover and then he turned her around. The look of complete ease on her face comforted him as he gave her a soft kiss. The drops of water were turning cold so he raised the water temperature and finished washing her hair, massaging her scalp in the process. She let her head fall back on his chest as he worked his fingers and he kissed her forehead.

"I'm starving." She whispered to him after he washed the conditioner out of her hair.

"Oh thank God. Me too." He told her as he gave her a towel.

They quickly dried off and they both put on sweatpants and a shirt. Teddy looked at her with approval that she was in his clothes and not Chris's. He opened the door and they tip toed down the stairs, through the hallway, and into the kitchen. He turned on the lights and opened the fridge to find a lot of packaged meals, fresh fruit and vegetables.

"See anything?" He asked her.

"I'll have a water and fruit to start off with." She begged with hunger.

"Which fruit?"

"Um, all of them but you'll help me eat it won't you?" Elizabeth answered hoping he would.

Teddy laughed at how she acted when she was completely relaxed around him. Her brown eyes absorbed by the fridge and relaxed. Her eyes showed every emotion loudly and he loved that about her.

He took out water and the fruit and laid it out in front of her on their kitchen island. He sat next to her and they grabbed the grapes first. She took one at a time and ate slowly despite her hunger. He grabbed two at a time and threw them up; trying to catch them in his mouth. He caught one but not the other and his look of disappointment charmed Elizabeth and made her laugh.

"You look good when you act your age." Her face beaming at him as she spoke.

"As do you." He replied before giving her a kiss.

They both sat and devoured the fruit before making themselves sandwiches. When they both felt their starvation had been cured, they made their way back upstairs to Teddy's room and turned the T.V on. She lay on his chest and ran her fingers up and down his stomach feeling her eyes become heavy again. Teddy ran his fingers through Elizabeth's hair as he contemplated telling her about the note but he wanted to protect her and not stress her out especially considering she has boards in a couple of weeks and Christmas was tomorrow.

"What are you doing for Christmas?" He asked thinking her only option would be Chelsea's family.

"I usually volunteer at the hospital for the day." She told him nonchalantly.

"You don't go with Chelsea?" He asked trying to hide his surprise.

"She's working that day and I don't want to intrude on her family."

"I want you here with me on Christmas Day then. I don't want you to spend it alone. He told her forwardly with the major intention of having her safe.

"I don't think that's a good idea. It's a day you should spend with your family." She replied.

"How about you come with me to my Grandmother's tonight at least? And then you can decide afterwards if you want me to take you to Chelsea's or if you want to stay here? He asked expecting her answer to be no.

"Fine but what should I wear?" She asked him.

"Uhhh. It's pretty dressy. My mom and sister always wear long dresses." He said to her, still shocked she agreed.

"Okay. I'll go look for one when we wake up." And then Elizabeth fell asleep, too exhausted and full to argue.

It had been noon before Elizabeth was awake and dressed. She had to borrow some clothes from Phoebe which Elizabeth didn't mind considering her wardrobe was to die for. She put on some leggings, riding boots, and an oversized striped sweater. Ana knocked on Teddy's door and came in.

"Teddy told me you needed a dress for tonight so I had our shopper bring over a couple. I sized you at about a 4 and told her your general description. Everything is in my room if you would like to come try it on." Ana told her with a warm smile. "I'm also very glad you're coming tonight. I can't wait for you to meet everyone."

"Thank you so much but you truly didn't have to go through that much trouble. I can just run into town and look for a dress, it's no biggie. "Elizabeth responded, feeling uncomfortable with their generosity.

"Nonsense. I would love to do this for you. I used to feel the exact same way when Christian used to do this for me. It took me a long time to get used to the money." Ana said as she grabbed Elizabeth's hand and led her to their bedroom.

Elizabeth followed Ana into their bedroom mesmerized by the décor and sheer size of the room. It had a king sized bed with a two couches on the opposite end of the room and in between was a rack of dresses. Ana saw Elizabeth's eyes widen at the sight of the dresses causing her to smile. She knew that any one of those would look good on Elizabeth. It would be very difficult to put her in something that she didn't complement. She grabbed the gold dress and handed it to Elizabeth.

"Try this one on first. My Closet is to the right and there is a mirror in there too. You'll be able to see yourself and if you need any help, I'll be right out here. " Ana told Elizabeth.

"Thank you so much." Elizabeth uttered with tears forming in her eyes. She wasn't quite sure why she was so emotional.

"Oh, get in there before I start crying." Ana responded fanning her face.

Elizabeth put the gold dress on. It was a fitted sequined dress with cap sleeves and Elizabeth was captivated by the beauty of the dress alone but seeing it on her made her want to cry. _God, I'm an emotional mess._ She thought to herself. Elizabeth knew she was pretty and she made sure she kept herself toned and in shape but seeing herself in something she felt was a piece of art made her feel uncomfortable. _You're doing this for Teddy _and with that thought she took a deep breath in and stepped out of Ana's closet.

"Oh my. You look absolutely stunning." Ana replied in awe of Elizabeth's curves, long hair, and skin tone. "I will be shocked if we find one we don't like on you."

Elizabeth laughed. "You haven't seen my prom dresses. Those were god awful."

"Okay, now this one. I have a feeling this is the one." Ana replied fidgeting with excitement.

Elizabeth took the red dress and had the same feeling. She slowly took the gold gown off and hung it back on the hanger before slowly taking the red dress off of its hanger and putting it on. As soon as she turned and looked at herself in the mirror she immediately smiled. _This is the one. _

* * *

Teddy had been down with his Dad looking at the background check they had received about Chris. There was absolutely nothing suspicious on it. He had just graduated with a computer science degree, a couple speeding tickets, and no siblings. His parents had died in a car accident when he was younger and he had lived with his Aunt and Uncle after.

"I don't trust this." Teddy spoke angry at how normal it was.

"Are you sure this doesn't have anything with Elizabeth being there yesterday?" Christian asked his son already knowing the answer.

"I think the timing of him is suspicious." He replied understanding that it was technically a rhetorical question.

"Do you want me to hire a P.I for him?" Christian questioned trying to appease his son.

"Yes. Do it." He immediately replied needing no time to think about it.

Teddy walked out of the study feeling frustrated. He decided to go check on Elizabeth to make sure his mother was playing nice. He knocked and opened the door to his parents room to find Elizabeth and his mother both sitting on her bed laughing. Teddy stayed at the door to hear their conversation.

"You should have seen his face when I got on that Jet Ski. You would have thought I was riding it naked." Ana told Elizabeth of their honeymoon making them both laugh.

"He was that protective?" Elizabeth asked shocked. "I would have splashed him just to rub it in his face."

Ana laughed hysterically at the thought of doing that to Christian. He would have punished her severely if she pulled that stunt.

Teddy grinned at the sight of them becoming even more excited for her to meet everyone. He closed the door and headed down the stairs to meet his father. The men always got ready at Grace and Carrick's and the women would come separately. When he got to his Grandmother's, he instantly went upstairs to the master bedroom. His cousins were all in there getting their suits on and the ones that were old enough had a drink in their hand.

"Whatsup cuz?" Jake asked handing him a beer.

"That is much needed." He told his cousin as he took a drink. "Are you a lone wolf tonight?"

"I am a lone wolf tonight. I would have liked Chelsea to come but my mother said, and I quote, 'Let's keep your one night stands for the charity functions.' Jake said shaking his head.

"Oh, Aunt Kate." Teddy said laughing. "I bet Uncle Elliot didn't give a shit."

"He was shaking his head behind her as she was telling me this." He replied chuckling at the memory.

Teddy got his suit on and looked in the mirror. It was tailored specifically for him and picked by his mother to complement Elizabeth. She picked his vintage grey colored suit with a black skinny tie and black shoes which didn't help him at all guess what Elizabeth was wearing. When he was satisfied, he grabbed his beer and met with his Dad in the kitchen and waited for Elizabeth. Three beers, two poker games, and a cigar later; his grandfather announced that the women had started to arrive.

* * *

Ana, Elizabeth, and Phoebe all rode together with only Ana and Elizabeth talking. Phoebe was still devastated over Ben and Elizabeth could tell she was trying hard to keep it together. Ana had told her daughter that she could immediately disappear upstairs after she greeted everyone who made Phoebe roll her eyes and then continue playing on her phone. The car finally stopped and Elizabeth wasn't shocked at their house especially considering Christian and Ana's home but it was absolutely breathtaking. The historic structure and character of the home were overwhelming for her. This was the exact home Elizabeth had always dreamed of in that what if I win the lotto kind of way. Ana had to snap her out of her moment to get her to keep walking. She entered the front entrance way to be greeted by two little girls in awe of her dress. Teddy's Aunt Kate and Mia introduced themselves along with both of their daughters who immediately ran to Phoebe once they saw her. She couldn't believe that this was a family Christmas party when they lined up to enter the living room. _This wealthy sure know how to keep a party interesting, _she thought to herself nervously about entering in front of everyone.

"Don't worry. I hate this tradition also." Ana whispered to Elizabeth nudging her at the last part.

All of the men gathered in the living room awaiting the women's entrance. Carrick had started this tradition when their children were younger wanting to showcase his wife's first designer dress as part of his Christmas gift to her that happened to become a permanent addition to the Christmas party. Teddy stood by his father opposite the door that their women would come through. Christian could sense his sons nervousness and remembered feeling that way the first Christmas party that Ana attended. She had hated the entire tradition and Christian had loved seeing her come out of that door in her gown. They could hear the women talking excitedly and the young ones giggling on the other side when Carrick opened the door. Teddy's two younger cousins came through skipping and giggling settling in next to their father. Since this went from oldest to youngest, Ana was the first to come out. She was wearing an emerald green silk gown with a one shoulder sleeve. Her hair slicked back in a high bun. Ana smiled brightly still hating the tradition and walked to her grinning husband's side. Phoebe came next pouting the entire entrance in and then fake smiling at her mother to pacify her. Her pink strapless gown flowing as she walked. Carrick then grabbed Elizabeth's hand.

"I'm Teddy's very jealous Grandfather Carrick. He has picked a beauty." He whispered to her before escorting her in.

"I think this Greek Goddess belongs to my Eldest Grandson." Carrick announced making Elizabeth blush.

Teddy saw Elizabeth and tried hard not to keep his sexual desire for her at bay. Elizabeth stood in a long red chiffon gown that met her olive skin tone with amazement. It had a low v neck cut with two braided straps and a gathered waist and her hair was curled and pinned messily into a low bun..

"I actually think she belongs to me." Yelled Jake smiling at Teddy.

Teddy laughed as he approached Elizabeth and grabbed her hand from his Grandfather. He could see that everyone was as captivated by her beauty as he was and he felt incalculable pride escorting her back to stand by his father.

"Words will always fail me when it comes to describing your beauty." He whispered to her seeing her turn to him and smile affectionately.

Elizabeth whispered back, "Thank you but next Christmas I think I will be working." Teddy laughed at her response knowing that all of this wasn't at all her scene.

They both then stood there and watched the rest of his aunts and cousins come in. He had a hand placed at the lower of her back with his thumb grazing her skin. It relaxed her anxiety especially before meeting his Uncles and cousins. After all of the women had come through, they entered into a large delicately decorated room with tables aligned in the shape of a U. The tables had real garland decorated with fake snow as centerpieces and Elizabeth loved the smell of pine as soon as she entered. She had met his Uncle Elliot, and Uncle Ethan and many of his grandparent's siblings and their families. All of them congratulating Teddy on a catch and offering their sympathies to her. They then took pictures before sitting down for dinner.

"You're doing very well with the silverware situation. Take an etiquette class I don't know about?" He jokingly asked her.

"Yes, actually I did. It's called Youtube and I took it earlier today." She replied with a smirk on her face.

He felt Elizabeth's phone go off in his pant pocket and grabbed it to give it to her. She waved him off not wanting to be distracted from the conversation with his mother and told him to check it. He saw it was just an email and then opened it to see it was from a Traveling Nurses Agency congratulating her on graduating and offering her a position after she passed her boards. His heart dropped at the thought of her leaving and traveling and he knew he had to do something. Teddy sat in his chair knowing that the only job that would get her to stay was a nursing position at Seattle Children's hospital and knowing that his Grandmother and Father were both some of the largest donors calmed him.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked him thinking Teddy looked stress.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I have to go talk to my Father for a minute. I'll be right back." Teddy got up and nudged his father hinting for him to come talk to him in the kitchen.

When Christian got into the kitchen, he saw Teddy chugging a beer.

"Everything okay?" Christian asked Teddy confused.

"I need you to get Elizabeth a job at Seattle Children's. A nursing position on the cancer unit. She volunteers there and she loves the kids. It's the only job that would make her stay." He rambled to his father.

"Why would she be leaving?"

"She got an email offering her a position as a Traveling Nurses Agency. She would be traveling all the time." Christian finally realized why his son called this meeting to order.

"She might not like this and she would know it was you especially if she has yet to apply for the job." He told his son hoping he would change his mind.

"I don't give a shit at this point. She will love the job offer and honestly Dad, you bought Mom's company she worked in." Teddy told his father trying to finish the conversation.

"Okay, I'll make the call. Consider it done." Christian then left and made the phone call that he knew would not end well and rejoined the party.

Teddy sat back down next to Elizabeth finally relaxed at the thought that she would get her dream job and he would have her here in one place. She kissed him seeing him happy again and decided right there that she would be spending Christmas with him. She turned to Ana.

"Teddy would like me to spend Christmas with you guys tomorrow meaning I would intrude on your family and your traditions. I would like to but only if it were okay with you?" She asked nervously.

"I would love for you to stay. You make my son very happy and we already have things planned for you to stay anyways." Ana replied happily.

Elizabeth then turned to Teddy to tell him when she noticed he had heard everything. He kissed her with excitement causing the whole room to applaud. "This is embarrassing" she whispered to him seeing him bow in front of his family. He knew then that he would give her the dream job tomorrow as a Christmas gift.


	12. Chapter 12: Cheer and All

_I'm sure I'll get mixed reviews on this chapter. Thank you again to all of those who have favorited, reviewed, or followed this story. _

Chapter 12: Cheer and All.

Elizabeth felt someone shaking her and her eyes struggled to open.

"Babe wake up." Teddy shook her excitedly.

Elizabeth opened her eyes and noted the still darkness of the room and then turned to her phone to see the time.

"Teddy, oh my god, it's 5am. What is the matter with you?" Elizabeth snapped at him.

"Uh, it's Christmas morning. Get up we have to go down for presents." Teddy said looking ten years younger and grinning brightly.

"Are your parents even up yet?" Elizabeth would have been surprised if they were.

"Phoebe is awake which means she probably just went in and woke them up. Lets go." He whined at her.

Elizabeth laughed seeing Teddy's excitement. "Okay, okay." She slowly got up, opened her eyes wide a couple of times to wake herself up, and Teddy kissed her fast before jumping off the bed. _I guess if I were the son of billionaire, I would be excited for Christmas Day too,_ she thought to herself. She followed him down into the living room to see his parents looking just as tired as she did and Phoebe rubbing her hands together in excitement. Christian was trying not to fall asleep and Ana was trying to put on a more excited face to match her children's.

"Okay, everyone is down now. Can I sort the gifts?" Phoebe asked as she bounced with anticipation.

"Yes Phoebe. Take your time. Please." Christian told her as he lay in Ana's lap and closed his eyes.

Phoebe sorted the gifts and Teddy got coffee for everyone when Elizabeth noticed some gifts being put by her. She felt so bad that she didn't have the time to get them anything and receiving gifts with nothing to give made her uneasy. She didn't know the proper etiquette for situations like these. Was it rude to deny gifts or accept them without anything to give? The whole situation had her picking at her fingernails when she heard Ana talk.

"Elizabeth, please don't let this be a big deal. We are so happy that you're here with us today and I made sure they weren't extravagant gifts. We didn't want you running away." She told her laughing at the last part.

"Thank you for everything. This is beyond generous." Elizabeth replied still nervous.

"Oh and most of those are mine for you anyways and you can't get upset with me. I was just being a nice boyfriend." Teddy told her.

She smiled at him mad at herself that she forgot his gifts she bought him although thankful that he wasn't receiving them with the other gifts. Phoebe opened her gifts and screamed with excitement over the fashion show tickets she received along with the private concert she would be getting from her favorite band that Elizabeth had never heard of. Teddy then opened his gifts getting a lot of signed football jerseys and Elizabeth laughed at his excitement over getting a box for the superbowl. "I would buy you the Seahawks but he's not selling." Christian told his son seriously.

Elizabeth's mouth dropped at that comment and then she reminded herself that they had enough money to start a fire with if they wanted to. She began to open her gifts from Christian and Ana which were customized nursing scrubs with her initials embroidered on the pockets. Their gift made Elizabeth smile, "Thank you. I absolutely love them." She could feel Teddy staring at her with anticipation.

"Open mine." He said to her as he gave her a gift.

It was a small box that looked like it housed jewelry causing an anxiety attack to begin. She unwrapped it with shaky hands to see "Pandora" written on the box. She smiled thankful that it wasn't some crazy gem from some unknown island that only she would own. Her fingers found the edge of the box as she opened it to see a Pandora bracelet with charms on it. Teddy took the bracelet out of the box and explained each charm. The first one was silver stethoscope for becoming a nurse, the second a T for him, and the third was a musical note charm. He explained the rest of the charms when she gave him a kiss grateful for his restraint with the gifts he bought her.

"I have one more but I'll tell you about it later." He whispered to her before they all went into the dining room for breakfast.

Breakfast between the five of them was an experience Elizabeth never thought she would have. They were an amazing family and Elizabeth could tell Ana held them all together. She was the anchor for them all including Elizabeth's new found place among them. Ana, Elizabeth guessed, was what most good mothers acted like with motherly warmth that radiates from them. She always felt it from Chelsea's mother too. Elizabeth could never imagine how different she would be now if her mother and father had been good at their roles. Teddy snapped her out of her thoughts as he played with the charms on her bracelet. They all finished breakfast and Elizabeth and Teddy went upstairs to take a nap. They lay in his king-sized bed both stuffed from breakfast and tired from being up so early.

"I have your gifts, they're at Chelsea's though so I'll give them to you when we get back there." She told him with her eyes closed.

"Okay," was all Elizabeth heard before falling asleep under the blankets with Teddy as he rubbed her back.

Elizabeth woke to the sound of the T.V when she rolled over to see Teddy relaxing. She smiled and climbed on top of him kissing him. He grabbed her ass and spanked her before he pulled away.

"I have one last gift remember?" He asked her as he handed her a booklet and a folder.

She saw the booklet that said Seattle Children's Hospital employee handbook and then the folder that had paperwork inside. "What is this?" She asked him confused.

"It's a job offer for a nurses position on the cancer unit at SCH."

"I can't believe you did this." Elizabeth uttered trying to figure out the best way to tell him that what he did was wrong. "Teddy, you can't just control things like this for me. If I wanted the job, I would have applied and waited to see if I were the best candidate. It's how things like this go. Now, if I accept this position, I'm going to feel as though I was never really wanted there to begin with. And in what world did you think this is the kind of relationship I wanted? We're partners and I trust you to handle what you want and to ask for help when you need it and I expect you to do the same with me. Exerting more control in our relationship is not something I want and since you know my past I'm surprised you hadn't figured this out already." She told him calmly despite the anger she felt.

"I saw you had been offered a job at the Traveling Nurses Agency and I don't want you to leave. I want you to be here with me."

"That is my decision." She told him firmly. "I need to be able to make my own decisions as so many have been taken away from me. I need you to understand this because this is a deal breaker Teddy. I need you to be honest with me, be my partner, and not my boss." Teddy knew that he would have to tell her about the note.

"There was a note left in your apartment after the cologne incident." He told her unable to look her in the eyes.

"What?"

"He's in love with you. It is no longer about my family but about you and only you. He fell in love with you after reading your journal and is now convinced you two belong together. I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you from the stress." Teddy rambled breathlessly not wanting to be in any more trouble with her than he was.

"Thank you for telling me. We'll figure it out. I promise. I just really need you to promise me though that you won't keep anything from me anymore and that you will never make a decision for me without talking to me first." She begged him not wanting to lose what they had.

"I promise. I'm sorry." He replied with sad eyes.

She kissed him. "Have your people or whoever made this happen please explain that I would prefer to submit an application and have them view it before making a decision to hire me or not. I applied for the traveling nurse position before you and I were even together. My clinical instructor works for them and encouraged me to. I had no plans to travel and I still don't because everyone I need is here and I need the stability I have here."

Teddy sat there amazed at how easy arguments were with her. He didn't know where she got such composure when she was upset but he envied her strength to do so.

"So, I am the only person he wants now? It makes sense why it had gotten so personal with me." She sat as she thought back on everything.

"I'll always be here and you'll never be without security." He tried to reassure her.

"I know. Thank you." She smiled at him.

"We always go down in the theatre room and watch movies for the rest of Christmas day. Nice and relaxing." He told her as he grabbed her arm and helped her up.

They walked down into the basement into the theatre room. Phoebe was asleep and Christian and Ana were snuggled under a blanket watching Elf. Christian was asleep and Ana looked grateful that she got company. Teddy grabbed another blanket and they both climbed into a recliner next to his parents.

"Thank god, I was getting really lonely with these sleepyheads." She laughed.

"Can we watch something else?" Teddy asked noticing the end of the movie.

"Yes, how about _P.S I love you_." Ana replied with Elizabeth nodding in agreement.

Teddy laughed seeing his mother and girlfriend already calling the shots.

"Noooooo," Christian was able to yell out with his eyes still closed.

They all laughed in response to his mumbled groan.

"That's what you resurface for, to decline our movie option." Ana said rolling her eyes.

"Elizabeth, what's kind of movies do you like?" Ana asked hoping for neutral response.

"I always can enjoy a good War movie, it doesn't matter which one although I do really enjoy the time period of World War II. Anything associated with Greek Mythology or a good political thriller."

Christian even sat up at her response grinning knowing that his wife had just lost her vote on a movie. Teddy stared at her shocked at her response as she finally noticed everyone looking at her.

"_The Last of The Mohicans_?" Elizabeth suggested knowing it was a love story and war movie.

"Yes!" Christian yelled in victory.

"You'll like it. There's a love story in there." She comforted Ana.

They all lay there in their recliners for the rest of the day watching movies, talking, joking, and eating. One person was always asleep and they all got to pick a movie finishing with Ana's pick of _P.S I love you_. Teddy and Elizabeth both went upstairs after knowing they weren't going to last much longer down there. As soon as they got into bed, Teddy fell asleep as Elizabeth massaged his scalp and falling asleep not too long after.

"Can you take me to my apartment so I can start packing a couple of things and then we can head over to Chelsea's and get your gifts?" She asked him after they ate breakfast.

He got up and threw on some jeans and a shirt as she got ready as well. They both left in his car with his security in tow and drove back into the city to her condo. Once they got there she had Teddy go in first to see how bad the cologne smell still was. She knew his father had cleaners in there but didn't want to take the chance of walking in and it still being present. Her phone went off as Teddy told her it was fine to come in when she saw Chris bringing garbage out. "Hey," she yelled at him surprised at how jumpy he was.

"Oh hey, are you feeling better?" He asked with his eyes darting to each side as if he were looking for someone.

"Yeah, are you okay?" She questioned noticing how nervous he was.

"I think I'm being watched. I know it sounds crazy but it's just weird things have been happening." He told her nervously.

Elizabeth's heart dropped and her anger returned. "You know what, I'll be here all day packing if you need anything. Try and get some rest and I'll check on you later." She rambled at him before starting on her warpath to Teddy.

Teddy came out to see what was taking Elizabeth so long when he saw her talking to Chris. His anger and jealousy flared when he saw her turn and look at him. The anger she was feeling was evident.

"Shit." He said to himself before walking back in her apartment not sure what she was so upset about but he knew it was going to be much worse than this morning's argument. He felt her enter and slam the door shut.

"What the fuck Teddy? You're having him watched. What for? Because I was with him that morning? You have to understand this isn't normal right? Normal relationships don't work this way. Just because you have the resources does not give you the right to damn well use them anytime you feel like it." She yelled at him unable to restrain herself emotionally from kicking his ass.

"I don't trust him is why I have people on him. I can damn well do it if I please." He shot back at her.

"Yes, you can and I have every right to tell you that it is wrong. People deserve their privacy Teddy and your about to give him a fucking heart attack."

"I think he is Hyde's son and I want you to stay away from him." He yelled at her surprising himself with how upset he was getting with her.

"I thought you said Ben was Hyde's son and considering he isn't Ben then I'm not sure what we are talking about here. AND if I felt he was a threat at any time to my wellbeing in any way I would stay away from him but I haven't felt that way yet and you have no right to tell me who I can and cannot be around." Elizabeth's hands were shaking and she couldn't remember the last time she was ever this mad.

"I have every right as your boyfriend to dictate which guys you hang out with and I can investigate any of them if I feel like it. That's what's nice about being a billionaire. I have the resources to do so. Don't you dare get upset with me for using them." He shouted at her, immediately feeling extreme regret with that statement. He didn't even know why he said some of it. He trusted her around other guys but it was Chris he didn't trust. _This was his plan all along, _Teddy thought to himself.

"Well then, you are no longer my boyfriend. We are done. You obviously need someone that will submit to these expectations of yours and I can tell you I will never let anyone dictate how I live my life nor will I live my life in fear of you investigating every person I come into contact with. Those people don't deserve it and neither do I. Get out." Elizabeth spoke calmly so he could hear every word she was saying and so that the message never got lost in anger. She knew she shouldn't make such a large decision being so emotional but she knew that with what he just said that they were never going to work.

"What? Don't you see this was his plan? He's in love with you and he's trying to break us up." He pleaded with her.

"Oh yes, I'm sure he was the one that ordered your security or investigator to follow him around because we all want out privacy taken away. You are ridiculous right now. Please leave." She begged him trying to hold her tears back until he left and she handed him the bracelet and watch.

"I'll send everything to your house or have Chelsea drop it off." She told him turning to walk into the kitchen.

"Fuck!" She heard Teddy yell before hearing the door slam.

Teddy stormed out of her apartment kicking his car tire when he got to it. He looked up to see Chris standing and watching him with a grin on his face. It infuriated Teddy and scared him all at the same time that no one else believed him and now that Elizabeth was back in the same building with him. He threw the finger at him before getting in his car and speeding off. He threw open the garage door to his house before storming upstairs. He needed to do something to calm down but couldn't think of anything; playing the piano would only remind him of Elizabeth and it was too early to start drinking. He grabbed his swim shorts and threw them on and went down to the pool. He jumped in and let the water cool his body before viciously beginning to swim laps.

Elizabeth stood in the kitchen with both hands placed on the countertop and tears were running down her face. She despised feeling this vulnerable and it had been a good two and half years since she felt this much pain. Her aunt passing away had nearly broken her and if it wasn't for Chelsea and Nursing school, it definitely would have been easy. Her hands gripped harder on the sink as she replayed the entire scene in her head so mad at herself that she let herself get that upset with him but stubborn enough to know that she wasn't going to talk to him first. This is when she felt like a 22 year old again when she knew she let her emotions override her ability to know when she should or should not be making decisions. She got her tennis shoes on and hooked her headphones into her phone and began to run outside. She ran down the streets not even caring about the burn in her chest. She needed to feel something other than the pain of losing Teddy and his family. She ran 5 miles before deciding to head back home because her legs were feeling sore and the security following her were annoying. She breathed in a sigh of relief when she saw Chelsea's car in the parking lot and found her inside the apartment watching T.V and a 24 pack of beer sitting next to her.

"I got beer instead of wine so we could at least last until dinner." Chelsea yelled before Elizabeth got in the shower.

She came out feeling a little better and threw on yoga pants and a t-shirt. She checked her phone to see Teddy hadn't called, texted or emailed and she knew he wouldn't. He had about the same amount of stubbornness she did. It was a stalled battle at this point and she had no idea how long it was going to last. She sat on the couch and replayed the entire conversation for Chelsea before letting her speak to give her opinion.

"Here drink this before I tell you how I feel about it and I mean chug that shit." Chelsea instructed her and Elizabeth didn't object. A nice cold beer felt great. After seeing Elizabeth finish it Chelsea continued, "I think it was the first bump in the road and you ran. You took the easy way out. Now I do think he said some pretty pretentious things and he lives in a different reality than us lowly folk down here but I mean you never really took the time to see that about him or talk to him after it had all calmed down and both of you stopped speaking out of anger. I think this gave you the reason to end it because you feel like this would have been the end result regardless. Good things happen Elizabeth and good things sometimes last and sometimes they don't. You let it play out though." Chelsea then chugged her beer after seeing Elizabeth sit and take in what she said. "Now, I will be here for you for whatever you need. I am staying with you here until that asshole is arrested and we are going to celebrate the shit out of New Year's Eve with all of our good friends. Until then, you need to study for your NCLEX but tonight. Tonight, we drink!" She yelled as she raised her beer.

"You should have your own T.V show." Elizabeth responded laughing. "Let the drinking and dancing begin." Elizabeth shut off the T.V and plugged her iPhone into the sound system and let it play. She was officially ready to drown herself in beer, music, and good company with her best friend.

"Dude, let's just take she jet and head to Vegas or Amsterdam and celebrate New Year's Eve there. We can get some girls, drink, eat, and then drink some more." Jake told Teddy animatedly.

"I don't think so. We still have to find Hyde's son." Teddy replied knowing he couldn't leave Elizabeth by herself with Chris. He didn't know how to feel about what happened today. He truly didn't believe it was the end for them but not being able to hear her voice or touch her was going to pain him. His felt his phone go off and he knew it wouldn't be Elizabeth. They both were going to wait each other out and he knew he would need to apologize but he wasn't going to do it anytime soon. He felt so angry at her for giving up so easily.

"How is that you guys don't know his name yet?" Jake asked curiously.

"Officially his name is Adam but there is not much activity after he was 18. We assumed he changed his name so were not real sure what identity he is using" Teddy told him.

"Well, either way, what are we going to do on New Year's Eve then? Or should I ask what Elizabeth is doing on New Year's Eve?" Jake asked knowing it was the latter one.

Teddy looked at his cousin and knew that they were going to wherever Elizabeth would be.

"Her and a couple of friends got rooms and the Monarch suite at Hotel Andra and the hotel is hosting a New Year's Eve party too." He told him trying not to sound like he had already planned on staying at Escala that night.

"Sounds like a decent time, not as good as Amsterdam, but we'll be having some fun I'm sure. Especially if Miss Chelsea is there." Jake added smiling.

"We're staying at Escala and then meeting my friends there and pregaming with them. Then we'll head down to the party with them. It should be interesting." Teddy said as he got excited already to be seeing Elizabeth, most likely in a mini party dress with some sky high heels on. Teddy could feel himself get excited as he thought he needed to get into the bathroom quickly which then in turn made him think of their time in the shower.

"I'm going to take a quick shower." Teddy uttered as he grabbed a towel and moved fast to the bathroom.


	13. Chapter 13: Resolutions

_This was a fun chapter as we get more information on Elizabeth and Teddy's friends and Chris too. As always let me know what you think and Thank you for your reviews, follows, and favorites. Enjoy. _

Chapter 13: Resolutions

It was the day before New Year's Eve and Elizabeth had settled herself into a pretty strict routine. She would pack for an hour, study for two, and then workout which gave her no time to think of her breakup with Teddy. The strict time schedule she had herself on made it so she never had time to think. If she were to pack or study for too long her thoughts of Teddy would hit her like bricks and it was already hard enough at night. Her apartment was a mess between the boxes, papers, and notecards scattered everywhere and the disorganization irritated her. She had just gotten back from her hot yoga class when the mess really broke her. Tears started falling and she started to break in the not so attractive heaving manner and she began to clean and organize. "This stupid fucking mess of an apartment," she kept yelling as she kept her hands busy with packing her books when they pissed her off too. "The god damn things won't go in right," she cried to herself knowing that the books symbolized her and Teddy. She gave up in frustration and sadness and sat against the wall and cried. It was the first time she had let herself really feel the pain of losing him and the pain of not having him around. He was her other best friend, the only other person she would call if she needed or wanted anything. Her lips were quivering with grief and her foot would not stop shaking. The strength she was looking for to compose herself and reel her emotions back in could not be found and she just let herself go through it. The tears fell as they hit her chest and then the floor and her mind replayed every encounter her and Teddy had ever had; the good and the bad. She came back to reality an hour later exhausted and extremely thirsty after her hot yoga class and crying. She gathered the rest of the strength she had left and pushed herself up off the floor; taking a deep breath in. An activity chart formed in her mind as she planned out the rest of her day. Tomorrow she would be with Chelsea all day at the Hotel and getting ready for their NYE celebration which she wasn't sure if Teddy would be at or not. She had mixed feelings because she wanted to see him but she was highly afraid she would break down in tears as soon as she did. She shook her head to rid the sadness when she heard a knock at the door. "Really, visitors as I look like this?" She asked her apartment and then opened the door.

"Chris. Hey." She told him embarrassed with how she looked.

"Are you okay?" He asked seeing her eyes puffy and red.

"Yeah, whatsup?" questioned Elizabeth and then she saw his boxes.

"Well I brought some boxes for you knowing that you were moving. I have a bunch from just moving here if you need anymore." He said nervously looking at the security outside her door.

Elizabeth finally noticed his nervousness with the security.

"Oh, come in please. Thank you for the boxes. You can never have enough when you're moving it seems like." She said as she led him into the kitchen and he sat at the island bar.

"How are you and your boyfriend?" Chris said looking at her intently.

"Not really a thing anymore which I have wanted to talk to you about but I haven't really found the time. Um. He comes from a very wealthy family and we have all been under stress with a situation which led him to have you investigated. A private investigator to be exact and I'm so sorry. It was one of the reasons we broke up." She felt so embarrassed having to tell him that.

"You broke up because of me?" He asked and Elizabeth grew a little uncomfortable at the enthusiasm she sensed in his expression.

"Uhhh, kinda. It was more because of his reaction to you but you're not crazy. Someone was watching you and I'm sorry." She told him more directly not wanting him to confuse anything she was saying.

Chris seemed to notice her reaction and quickly gained control of his.

"I'm sorry. Breakups can be pretty hard." He said to her as his expression changed to pity.

Elizabeth had always been good at reading people but she wasn't so sure about Chris anymore. The situation in his apartment hadn't seemed uncomfortable but she was probably too affected by the cologne to really notice. The thing that bothered her the most was that none of his expressions met his eyes besides the enthusiasm. When you grow up around the people she did you learn to monitor things and read people.

"So what are your plans for tomorrow?" He asked breaking her out of her suspicions.

"My group of friends and I are going to a Hotel Party but we most likely won't even make it down there. We usually just end up staying in the suite and hanging out." Elizabeth responded hoping it wasn't rude that she wasn't going to invite him.

"Is Teddy going to be there?" The question threw Elizabeth off and she was getting annoyed by him.

"I'm not sure. We run with the same crowd, so it is definitely a possibility but he does have enough money to go wherever. I'm not sure if I would stay in Seattle for New Year's if I was him. Anyways, I'm going to go take a nap. I'm really tired." She lied trying to get him to leave.

"Oh, okay. Well have fun tomorrow. I might see you." He said before turning to leave. "Your apartment smells good."

_Odd,_ Elizabeth thought but she was just happy he had left. She packed more of her things and studied before she lay down in exhaustion and went to sleep.

Teddy woke up ready to get to this evening. He had spent the night at Escala with Jake and a couple of his friends playing video games and drinking. He needed his friends to distract him from wanting to call Elizabeth and even went as far to give Jake his phone to guard. He was so ready for tonight. He had gone and gotten a custom tailored suit, new shoes, and a new tie because he was going to look damn good tonight and get her back. His strategy consisting of nothing more than going, having a good time, asking her to dance, and then seeing how it went. He grabbed his cup of coffee and bagel and greeted the young woman that was going to cut his hair and give him a shave. She had long wavy bleach blonde hair and was very tan. Her boobs pushed up with probably two push up bras and a big smile on her face.

"Hi, I am Andrea and we were told you wanted a haircut and a shave." She told him as he let her in.

Seeing her made him nervous. He felt bad for judging but she looked less than qualified to shave a man as he figured she would be texting while shaving him.

"Hey, I'm Teddy Grey. So there are five of us who are going to need to be shaved and I think only two that need a quick cut." He mentioned to her quickly before sitting down by the sink and watching her set up her things. She became quickly intimidated by him or it was the penthouse, either way he hated it. That was the first thing that drew him to Elizabeth; her confidence and how forward she was. He was surprised she liked foreplay as much as she did with how to the point she generally was.

"So, do you have a girlfriend?" Andrea asked as she wet his hair with a spray bottle.

"It's complicated." He replied irritated that she had interrupted his thoughts of Elizabeth.

"Well whoever she is I'm sure she is very lucky." She said swiftly before cutting his hair.

Teddy laughed at her comment and wished he could feel the same. He had done nothing but bring drama into Elizabeth's life; _a stalker to be more specific, _he reminded himself. His private investigator had turned up nothing on Chris but it didn't surprise him considering Chris knew of the investigator. He was going to play this right and not fall victim to his games like they had. He finally felt her stop cutting when she began to put cream on his face.

"Uh, you know what. I think I'm going to skip the shave for today. Thank you though." Teddy muttered getting up from the seat hurriedly.

"So, then it's my turn to have those delicate hands shave me?" Teddy heard Jake say and he was grateful for his inappropriate comment.

Teddy left the room and went to the master bathroom to shave his face. He felt bad not trusting her to do it but then again this was his face and he needed it at its best for tonight. His anxiety shot up when he saw the presents Elizabeth had gotten him still sitting on the dresser. They were neatly wrapped with enormous bows on them and he struggled to keep them that way. He was just going to give them back but his curiosity for her gifts was winning. "Damn it," he uttered as he grabbed the two gifts and climbed on the bed. He couldn't bear to break the bows and so he slid them off and put them aside. He unwrapped the first box and opened it to find a lot of tissue paper and a hand written note.

_Teddy, _

_What to get a billionaire for Christmas? Well every sexual fantasy of yours has crossed through my mind but before that, your dreams did. One in particular actually; your dream of opening your own advertising agency and I just knew I had to get you the first couple of things for your office. This box doesn't include the christening of the desk, fyi. _

_Elizabeth_

He reached in the box to see a pen, stapler, and a name block all personalized with his name but the pen and stapler both had the name of his company: _Grey Advertising_. An overwhelming feeling hit the inside of his nose and traveled to his eyes as he felt a flood of tears form. He could hear himself continually swallow to make it go away and he distracted himself with the second gift. The bow was put aside and he unwrapped the second box and opened it to see another handwritten note.

_A picture from the first night we met…_

Teddy stared at the picture that had them both looking pretty happy considering they were most likely drunk at that point. He had to be as he looked at how carefree and relaxed he looked with her on his lap. They both had big smiles and he was surprised that he never knew of the picture but extremely happy that he had it now. He took the picture and placed on the side table mad at himself for opening her gifts because it did nothing but make him miss her more.

"Yo, wanna go play some games?" His friend Freddie asked before seeing what Teddy had been doing. "You'll see her tonight and you'll be fine. She has never been able to stay mad at anyone for that long and you're the first boyfriend we've ever seen her with." Teddy had forgotten that he had entered into their circle and that they had known her longer than he had.

"Thanks, and yeah lets go play." He replied jumping off the bed.

"Damnnn. Teddy will be on his knees as soon as he sees you." Chelsea told her when she saw her outfit. Elizabeth had on a long sleeved gold glittered dress that had a semi low v cut in the front that hit her mid-thigh with black pumps on. She curled her hair and brushed through it to make loose waves and did a simple smoky eye.

"Well let's hope so." She replied checking her appearance in the mirror and then she turned to see Chelsea. She had on a cap sleeve black dress where the cap sleeve top was see through and with a sweetheart neckline underneath that barely covered her ass.

"And who are we dressing for tonight?" Elizabeth asked truly curious.

"Jake, now that we know Teddy Is coming thanks to our little buddies over there." She spoke as she teased her hair.

The rest of their girlfriends joined them in the bathroom as hairspray and makeup were being passed around. Elizabeth had missed her girlfriends and was so happy to have them here. Some were from their high school that she and Chelsea had grown up with and others were from their nursing school classes. Either way they had spent some of the best and worst times of their lives with these girls and a night to celebrate with them was exactly what she needed. The bathroom was filled with high pitched chatting when they heard the boys come in. Elizabeth was pretty sure she had never seen so many girls move so fast and she laughed at the sight of them all struggling to get their heels on fast. She calmly hopped of the countertop and walked out to be met with a group of ten guys passing out drinks.

"Elizabeth, you're going to give a guy a heart attack!" She heard Freddie yell as he bear hugged her and spun her around.

She then heard the million heels hitting the floor as the rest of the girls came out and the guys started whistling.

"I like your group." Jake whispered to Teddy who was too busy staring at Elizabeth.

He couldn't keep his eyes off of Elizabeth, her legs mostly but she looked amazing. Her hair resting on her shoulders in loose waves and the low cut of her dress had him readjusting his pants. He watched her greet the rest of his friends before getting to Jake and hugging him. She looked at him and smiled.

"Hey." She said nervously.

"Hey. You look great." He said as he smiled at her.

"Thank you. You look really good too." She told him as she felt overwhelmingly turned on looking at him in his suit. It fit him in all of the right places and he looked so good in the maroon button up he had on underneath. His hair brushed to the side as she liked it and his face looked so smooth.

"Anyways, I better get back and help Chelsea with the food." She told him before turning slowly and walking away feeling his stare the entire time. She knew by the way he looked at her that there might still be a chance for them; she just had to decide if she were going to make the first move or not.

Teddy watched Elizabeth as she interacted with everyone in the room. They loved her just as much as he did and she was very entertaining as she danced with her friends and joked with the guys. He actually loved the group that he had come to call his friends too and they hadn't been like all of his other friends from private school who wanted him mostly for his money. In fact, not one of them had even mentioned anything about his money besides being in awe of Escala. He finally realized he had found a family of friends who wanted him and Elizabeth to work out just as much as he did. It became pretty evident that they weren't making it downstairs to the Hotel Party and it didn't seem to bother anyone. They had all settled in the dining room and living room drinking and playing games when Elizabeth sat next to him.

"Nursing your beer again I see?" She said as she smirked at him.

"Drink one with me then." He challenged her.

"I'm drinking water for a bit. I got a little ahead of myself with the champagne earlier." She told him wanting to close their distance so she put lay her head on his shoulder. Teddy figured this was her way of letting him back in.

"I'm sorry." He finally said knowing that losing this battle would be nothing compared to losing her. "I never meant it the way I talked about my money like that. I just don't trust Chris and I became too overprotective of you and I should have talked to you about him first. I would do anything to protect you but I would do even more to keep you. If you want me to never investigate anyone, I won't." He grabbed her hands to emphasize his begging, "I do trust you and you have more strength than anyone I know. I am more than confident in your ability to handle situations even better than I can." He rubbed his hands through his hair as she grabbed his hands back.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I made the decision I did when I was in no position to do so. I should have calmed down and talked to you about the situation. I miss you. I miss talking to you every day and I miss just feeling your presence." She said as she pressed her forehead against his. "I want you back. Meeting you that night was the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. I need you." Her voice had faded at the last part as it was the first time she had ever put herself out there and Teddy knew it. He couldn't have felt more shock at what she told him because he always thought it would take her a long time before she would ever give him a piece of her like this.

He kissed her and just couldn't get enough of her and she responded the same way. Their kiss was desperate and in need for more. He pulled back and whispered in her ear, "I need you too, always." He then pulled her up. He wrapped his arm around her waist as her forehead met his nose and he started dancing. Usually she would've felt completely embarrassed but she had missed him, his touch, his smell, and his body; so she just kept on dancing with him. They were in a world of their own connected by their chemistry, love, and bodies. In the distance she heard the cheers of her friends and her best friend screaming, "I love them together!," causing Elizabeth to laugh into Teddies neck. Everything was right and everything was perfect in that moment. After the song, he pulled her into an embrace and dipped her into a kiss. They both looked into each other's eyes with looks of complete content and he brought her back up. Their smiles must have been contagious as all of their friends looked at them with matched expressions. Neither of them could have felt happier and they rejoined their friends in their games and drinking. Elizabeth sat on Teddy's lap as they sat at the table and played a drinking game both enjoying themselves.

"I'm so glad you two have worked it out but I would legitimately have to kick your ass if you break our Elizabeth's heart." Freddie slurred at him with about ten heads in agreement.

Teddy laughed, "I understand," was all he could respond with.

"We're here for you too though Teddy. We got your back with that fucking douchebag." Freddie slurred again with everyone in agreement then. Teddy felt grateful that he and Elizabeth had friends like these when they heard a knock at the door. Elizabeth stood to meet them when the security opened it.

"Miss. Carmicheal, this gentlemen said that you invited him as your date." The security announced as Chris walked in.

"Um, No I did not. Chris, I'm sorry but I didn't invite you here. What is going on?" She looked back to see Teddy had gotten up and grabbed his jacket. She tried to stop him as he stormed past her.

"Yes, you did. You asked me yesterday when I was at your apartment." He replied smugly.

"I don't know what your games are but I did not invite you here. I do not like you; so, whatever your expected outcome was for this stunt, I will not be a part of. Stay away from me!" She yelled at him as she ran after Teddy finally believing that something was suspicious about Chris.

"Later Bethers," she heard him barely as she raced for the elevator door.


	14. Chapter 14: Love and Loss

_I can't say much about this chapter without giving away much of it so it was an emotional one to write. I would love to hear thoughts on it which I'm sure I will. This chapter happened around the worst time as I have a horrible cold but I will try to update as soon as I can. I have half of the next chapter written. I also am contemplating rewriting the first chapter and replay their first meeting in detail. As always, Enjoy and Thank you to those who have responded to this story in any way! You guys are great! _

Chapter 14: Love and Loss

Elizabeth was thankful that the second elevator opened a couple seconds after she missed Teddy and she hopped in pressing the button multiple times. Her heart was pounding and she was pissed for the fact that they had just made up and now this; even her security just stood there staring at their hands. The door opened as she saw Teddy turn the corner and she took off well as fast as she could in her heels. She could feel the stares of the hotel employees as she very awkwardly ran after Teddy and offered them a quick apologetic expression. The cool outside air hit her legs as she sighed loudly and wished she could take her heels off but the city sidewalks were no place for bare feet. Her pumps started to rub against the back of her heels as she failed to keep up with him and he was not stopping anytime soon so she gave up.

"God Damn it Teddy! If you make me run in these heels any longer I am going to throw one at you!" She yelled at him as he got to the end of the block ready to turn the corner. She stood there with her hand on her hip not only pissed at Chris, but also at Teddy for not letting her explain. She watched him turn and face her with an amused expression before he started hysterically laughing and walking back towards her.

"God, you asshole!" She whined at him as her hand hit his arm.

"I'm sorry." He laughed at her.

"You're not mad?" asked Elizabeth with a look of confusion.

"No, I said I trusted you and I do. It just seemed the perfect time to get you out of there and all to myself." He finally explained.

"Do you know how embarrassing it was chasing after you in this dress and heels especially in the lobby?" She asked him still pissed.

"No, but I wish I could've been in there to see their faces." He uttered as he started laughing again.

A smile hit Elizabeth's face and she found it difficult to maintain her position of being upset. "You are officially on my shit list Teddy Grey." She told him as he put his coat on her. "Hop on," he told her motioning her to get on his back.

"No." She replied with a smirk on her face.

"Fine then." He declared as he put his arm under her knees and lifted her up.

"Oh my god! This is cliché. Put me down, I'll get on your back." She huffed at him knowing that at least on his back she wouldn't look as ridiculous. He put her down and she got on his back thankful for his coat because she was pretty sure her ass would be showing without it. Their security followed them and she could feel their entertained stares on them. She laughed into his ear thankful that he wasn't upset and to finally be alone with him again. His scent was comforting as she rested her chin on his shoulder and kissed his cheek. "I've missed you." She whispered as he replied the same.

They finally got to the elevator at Escala as it started to move up to the Penthouse and he put her down. She snuggled in close to him as he held her hand and waited to see what she knew would only be art for an apartment. _An apartment or home? Or Condo? _Her thoughts rambled when the door opened. An all-white modern theme hit her eyes and as she thought, it felt like art; an open feel with the living room and kitchen that both had paintings covering the walls. "This is beautiful." She told him in complete awe.

"Thanks. It was my parent's first home." He replied opening the fridge. "Hungry?" He asked her.

"I could always eat." She told him smiling.

She watched him look through the fridge and then through the freezer before settling on some frozen homemade pizza. He then stared at the oven before pushing a couple random buttons ending with the oven being on the high broiler setting.

"Really?" she asked him laughing. "You're going to broil a pizza?" She took the pizza from him to see the instructions written on the plastic wrap and then set the oven to 325. He gave her the pizza pan as she unwrapped the pizza and set it on it. "Thank you." He grabbed her and kissed her as he pushed her up against the kitchen island. Her hands found his face and she brushed the smoothness. She was surprised with how relaxed his kisses were and she knew they were different; she could feel it. After their break from each other and their return, they both seemed to have grown more secure with their relationship. Everything didn't seem so needed or desperate as they both seemed content with where they were and where they were going. She pulled back at the sound of the oven being preheated and put the pizza in. Her phone sounded as Chelsea texted her to check and Elizabeth replied telling her that everything was okay.

"Looks like we'll be alone tonight. Jake is staying with Chelsea." Elizabeth saw the smirk on Teddy's face.

"It's almost Midnight!" She spoke loudly and found a countdown on her phone.

"Two minutes." He replied coming to stand next to her.

They both watched her phone in anticipation for the New Year.

"Any Resolutions?" He asked her.

"I will work on my issues so that I can get over my past completely and give you the best version of myself." She told him honestly because he needed to know that she was as serious about him as he was her. The shock that hit his face wasn't surprising because she surprised herself with how open she was becoming with him. "You?"

"I will work on myself to give you the best version of myself also." He announced as he smiled at her. He quickly grabbed some glasses and champagne and poured it just in time for the last ten seconds. They both counted down to the last second when she kissed him deeply.

They had eaten their pizza and she followed him into the bedroom. He went into the bathroom as she stared out the large window out at the city and she felt him come up behind her. He unzipped her dress in the back as she let it fall down. She had his favorite lingerie on; her black and cream lace bra and boy short panties. His fingers met her shoulders as he slid the thin black straps of her bra down her arms and he kissed her shoulders and added a nip with his teeth. She turned around to see him with his shirt off and she admired his chest, arms, and abs. Wetness soaked her panties as it always did at the sight of him and she sank to her knees undoing his belt and unzipping his pants. They both fell to the floor as she pulled his boxer briefs off and approved at how turned on he was. She took him in her mouth slowly and heard him moan in pleasure causing her to smile. She found a good rhythm with the help of his hand at the back of her head and each time he cried out in pleasure, she became even more turned on. He pulled out of her mouth and picked her up kissing her intensely as he forcefully pulled her underwear off and they fell on the bed. They kissed for a long time, getting lost in each other, before he drove into her. Her head fell back as she loved feeling him inside her. They both met one another with each thrust and he kissed her the entire time as he wanted to feel her any and every way he could. An orgasm engulfed both of them as he felt her fingers grabbing his skin; only adding to the intensity. He lay on top of her; both of them breathless and at ease. They finally settled in the bed under the covers and his head lay on her chest as she ran her fingers through his hair. His breathing slowed and she could feel him drift off to sleep only aiding in her journey there also.

Elizabeth awoke feeling a chill before rolling over to see Teddy wasn't in bed. She struggled to find something to put on before finding a robe in the bathroom. She put it on, finally feeling warm again and walked into the hallway. She could hear someone talking but it wasn't Teddy. When she got farther down the hall way she saw Teddy on his knees. Confused, she walked closer to see Chris was pointing a gun at Teddy's head ready to pull the trigger.

"NOOOOOOO!" She screamed with everything she had and a loud sound accompanied it. She saw Teddy's face look at her terrified as she felt an extreme pain hit her chest hard and it took the breath right out of her. The room began to spin as she struggled to focus and felt herself hit the floor with violent force. Chaos ensued around her as she heard multiple voices yelling and their could hear Teddy yelling with horror and the sound of his voice even scared her. "She's been shot." _I've been shot, _she thought to herself finally realizing what the burning pain at her chest must have been. She felt a small breath of relief at his safety but was quickly reminded she was shot. She struggled to get a full breath in and each one getting shorter as her chest stopped her every attempt forcefully. _There is fluid leaking into my lungs? Blood? _She thought as she tried to remember her chapter on gunshot wounds. Trying to breathe was becoming exhausting and the voices were becoming fainter. She was trying to drown them out and she focused on the light at the ceiling attempting to calm herself so she could maintain her breathing. A hand grabbed hers as she struggled to hear what he was saying. _It's Teddy. Don't look at him. Focus on the light. That pretty light. You'll break if you look at him. _Teddy was shaking her hand trying to get her to look at him but she wouldn't and so he broke her view of the light and she saw his handsome face marred with tears. "Elizabeth! An Ambulance is on the way. Stay with me baby." He yelled at her and she closed her eyes as the sight of him made her want to cry but she couldn't spare the air. She could feel her lungs fill more as her breaths grew even shorter. _Please don't let me die. Please don't let me die. I love him. Tell him. If you're going to die you better tell him. _The thoughts of dying overwhelmed her and she fought to calm herself but the tears hit her strongly. Her breathing became even more rapid and she began to cough as someone rolled her on her side. She felt Teddy's hand rubbing her head and she knew she had to tell him. "I love you." She whispered at him and she hoped he had heard her because she had no more strength to attempt it again. "I love you too." He cried into her ear and she gave up her struggle. She let the darkness take her as the exhaustion became too much and the fight too hard.

Teddy sat there, tears streaming down his face, holding Elizabeth's hand when he felt her hand go limp. "No. No. No. NO! NO! NO!" He screamed as a security guard put his two fingers to her throat to feel her pulse. Teddy waited and watched in slow motion the movement of everyone else around him and he felt only sadness. _Please no. Don't take her from me. I'm not strong enough Please. Please. Please. _He pleaded with any and every God that existed. He wasn't too proud to ask for help from anyone. "I'm Sorry but I can't feel a pulse." He heard the guard say and he lost it as his chest shook from his heavy sobbing. "No! No!" He screamed before his sobbing took over again and he crawled back over to her holding her head in his hands. "Come on. Come back to me baby. I love you too." He cried at her as she did nothing and he looked at her face bloodied by what she had coughed up. Teddy fought the arms that grabbed him and pulled him away. "Get the fuck off me!" He yelled when he heard his father's voice. "Teddy, it's just me." Teddy turned to see his father. "You did this. You fucking did this!" He yelled as he hit his father's chest and Christian grabbed his son and held him tight only to feel him weep roughly. "I'm so sorry. The paramedics need to get in there though." Christian spoke softly to his son. "It doesn't fucking matter. She's gone."

* * *

Teddy walked into their home that they had just recently built and could smell his wife cooking. He entered the kitchen to see Elizabeth standing at the sink in jeans and a t-shirt.

"It smells good." He told her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hi. I've missed you today." She replied leaning her head against his.

"I've missed you and I've missed you my beautiful little Reagan." He kissed their 3 month old daughter and let her fall back asleep.

"What's for dinner?" He asked as he sat at their kitchen Island.

"Turkey Meatballs with spaghetti squash." She replied and then turned to see the look he was giving her. She laughed, "Don't worry. You'll like it."

He watched his beautiful wife make dinner and felt overwhelming joy at the life he had been given. A beautiful daughter and a wife who he couldn't love more even if he tried. John Hiatt's _Feels Like Rain _came on over their kitchen sound system and Elizabeth turned around. "Our wedding song." She smiled at him in surprise. He got up and put his arm around her waist to hear her giggle and they danced. Her head rested on his chest and her hands on his shoulder and she danced with him. A content smile came across his face as he breathed in the smell of her hair and rubbed her lower back.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"What for?" He asked confused.

"For giving up." She replied and he pulled away from her to see her looking at her chest and her hand pulling away from it with blood.

"Elizabeth!" He screamed and sat up in panic in bed. It took him a minute to realize he was back in his bedroom, alone and he started sobbing again. It was all he had ever done recently.


	15. Chapter 15: Hope

_I got Chapter 15 finished! The only reason I am posting this update now is so I can take a small break (couple days) to recover from this cold. I also know you all are dying to know what happened. This one is a tearjerker. At least I think so. As always let me know what you think and thank you so much too all of you who have responded. I must admit it was a little fun seeing all of your reactions. :) _

Chapter 15: Hope

Teddy finally stopped crying and began to get some clothes on. He threw on some jeans, t-shirt, and a sweatshirt and headed down to his car.

"Honey, you want some breakfast?" He heard his mother ask.

"No." was all he replied with as he went into the garage and got into the car.

The drive was always the same and he didn't know how much more of it he could handle. He looked in his backseat at the pale pink roses he had delivered last night. _Elizabeth's favorite _he thought. The city was busy and it angered him that everyone went about their business as if nothing had happened, but he knew, deep down he was envious of their normalcy. Oh God, he needed that back. He parked his car and grabbed the roses carefully and began his walk to visit Elizabeth.

He opened the door to see her in the usual state; lying there with a breathing tube and her vitals sounded stable. He closed the door softly afraid he might startle her. _Really? _He asked himself, she hadn't responded to anything for four weeks. The bathroom light came on brightly as he finally caught a glimpse of himself, unshaven and exhausted looking, and he quickly dismissed his image and filled the vase with water before putting it on her bedside table.

"Hi, baby. I brought more roses for you. Your favorite!" He told her with the only responding sound being the sound of her heart beating. He rubbed her forehead and placed a soft kiss on her cheek as a tear ran down his. His lip began to quiver as he struggled to keep himself calm. "Um, your nails look good. Chelsea did a nice job." He spoke trying to distract himself. He sat down in the chair next to her bed and grabbed the folder from his bag. "Okay, we're on the goals portion of the business plan. Now in my mind my goal is to make it a more modern and edgy advertising agency and by hiring a diverse group of people of different cultures and ages we can get the best advertisements for the most consumers." He rambled as he wrote down his notes trying to make her proud. "I could also just pitch the whole idea and move you to my house and have you treated there." He questioned hoping the ridiculousness of the suggestion would wake her up. "You'll tell me exactly how you feel about it soon enough. I hope." Mumbled Teddy before he returned to his notes. Teddy was so focused on his notes when he heard the door open and saw Janice, a nurse he had grown close to.

"Teddy, honey those are nice flowers. I'm sure she loves them." Janice said to him as she began her first shift checks.

"Thank you. They're her favorite. I know this is a weird request but could you explain everything you're doing out loud? It makes me feel better and when she wakes up she's going to have to take her NCLEX and since no one knows if they really hear us when they're like that. You never know. It might help her." The nurse looked at him confused.

"Honey, you already asked me that two weeks ago and I have been doing it every day for you. Did you get enough sleep last night?" Janice asked worriedly.

"No, not really. You know I can really only sleep here. I'm fine I just forgot sorry." He replied calmly as he tried to assure her he was fine.

Janice finished her check while Teddy listened. He watched her intently taking mental notes just in case he would ever need to do anything.

"Teddy, go and get some lunch. I can stay with her here while you go." The older nurse spoke softly to him.

"I'm not hungry and we have more work to do on my business plan." He responded nicely. Janice looked at him with sadness noticing how much he had let himself go and she hoped for his sake that Elizabeth woke up. She quietly opened the door and turned back to see Teddy lay his head down on the bed and place her hand on his cheek. A few tears escaped her eyes as she left to check on her other patients.

Teddy closed his eyes and relished the touch of her hand on his cheek. This was the only way he could sleep peacefully and he thought about their last night together and how beautiful she looked. _She was so happy and so pissed running through that hotel lobby in her heels. _Teddy laughed at the sight of her and fell asleep feeling as close to her as he could at that moment.

Teddy woke to the sound of someone in the room and he sat up quickly to see his mother bringing him food.

"I didn't know if you would feel like eating but I brought you some food. I'm sorry I woke you." She said to him looking tired herself.

"Thanks. Just leave it there." Teddy got up to get a washcloth to start wiping her eyes.

"Honey," Ana grabbed her sons face hating the hair she felt underneath. "If you love me at all, I need you to talk to someone. I need you to. I scheduled an appointment here in an hour so you wouldn't be far from her and it would be during her bed bath." Ana begged him as she cried and Teddy hadn't realized how upset he had made her mother. "Yes. I'll go just stop crying please." He replied and felt her breathe a sigh of relief.

"Okay." Ana said as she calmed herself down.

They both turned as Chelsea walked in glaring at Ana and his mother turned and walked out.

"Please don't look at my mother that way." He told Chelsea as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Look, I don't mind you being here. She loves you and I know she would want you here maybe not looking like you do but she would want you here. Your parents, though, who this drama all revolves around don't belong in here. I don't want to have to ban them from this room but if I see them here one more time I will. Now, there have been no changes to her condition. I just wanted to check on her and I'll be back in an hour to do her bed bath." Chelsea then stormed out and Teddy hated that she was the only person that could receive updates and monitor her visitors. He sat back down next to Elizabeth and grabbed her hand. "I need you. Please find your way back to me. Please. Please" He pleaded looking at her with tears on his cheeks. "I will do anything." He squeezed her hand harder aching and holding his breath to feel her respond in any way. The breath and tears left him roughly as he got nothing, absolutely nothing.

Teddy walked into the Therapists office indifferent to the entire appointment. He never stayed during Elizabeth's bed bath and at least this would make the time go faster.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Turner. I assume your Mr. Grey." A middle-aged man stepped into the waiting room and introduced himself. "Please follow me."

Teddy followed the doctor into a room about the size of a dorm room. It had a chair and a couch with a couple of different cheap paintings hanging on the wall along with some room décor. He hated the yellow color, it was too bright for depressed people he thought. They both sat; Teddy on the couch and the Dr. in the chair.

"Where do I start?" Teddy asked not knowing how the whole process worked.

"Anywhere you want." Dr. Turner replied.

Teddy sat and rubbed his hands together as he became nervous.

"Ummm. Well, I met this beautiful girl a year ago and I mean just beautiful." Teddy struggled to find the right words to describe Elizabeth to the Doctor. "She's intelligent, um funny, semi-neurotic, and so much fun. She's just so easy to be around and so easy to love. Obviously, she's easy to love she had a stalker. Oh, the stalker. My parents, before I was born, sent Jack Hyde to jail along with his girlfriend Elizabeth or whatever she was. He had a son to her and another son that we never knew about with someone else, Ben. Well my family started to get threats from Hyde's and Elizabeth's son, Chris, when he ended up breaking into Elizabeth's apartment looking for me. He found her journal and developed this obsession for her and he fell in love with her. Ben was used to distract us from him and Ben disappeared when he realized that Chris was no longer interested in us but just Elizabeth. Well, New Year's Eve Elizabeth ends up just shunning Chris in front of a group of people and I'm pretty sure that's what set him off. He used one of our friends to get inside my father's penthouse where I was staying." Teddy hated talking about that night; the memories haunted him at night and he felt there was no need to discuss them during the day but he continued. "I remember hearing someone talking and I figured it was one of our friends coming back in so I threw on my pants and walked out. The look on my friend Freddie's face was pure fear like it hit you at the bones and then I saw Chris with a gun pointed at him and his facial expression when he saw me will forever haunt me. It was a devilish smile like he was so proud of himself. I bargained myself for Freddie and my security couldn't do anything. He told them he would shoot me if they moved and he made me get on my knees in front of him. The guards gave him their guns thinking it was going to save me. He wanted Elizabeth and he kept telling me that I ruined their chance and I was ruining her. I was ready to die right there." Tears started to fall as he got closer to the worst moment of his life. "Um. I could hear him getting near the point where he was going to kill me and all I could think was at least it would be me and not her and then we both heard her. It was the sound of horror that came out of her mouth and she shocked everyone in the room even Chris who automatically just shot at her just from the sound. She looked at me and I have never felt so terrified in my life to see blood coming from her chest and to see her hit the floor. It was the exact distraction we needed and one of my guards tackled Chris. She saved my life. There was blood everywhere and she looked so focused almost as she lay there and I could tell she was having trouble breathing." The tears fell more freely as he remembered the sight of her on the floor. "I um saw her cough up blood and when we turned her to her side I heard her whisper that she loved me. I always thought for sure it would take a year minimum to hear that from her. I had prepared myself for that but when I heard her. When I heard her say that I told her I loved her too and then she went limp. My heart like. God it felt like someone was squeezing it and I couldn't breathe. All I could do was cry and hold her before my Dad and the paramedics came in. They were able to resuscitate her but she had three surgeries and she's been in a coma ever since and Now." Teddy shook his head because this was the part that scared him the most. "We have two weeks before we take her off everything. If she doesn't wake up in two weeks, we leave it up to fate." He cried so worried and so desperate for her to wake up. He had never explained the entire situation to anyone besides the police and that was only the events that occurred at Escala.

"What do you think will happen to you if she doesn't wake up?" Dr. Turner asked.

"I don't know. The worst part is that I have been having these dreams where we're married and we have a daughter but I can't stay in a dream. Oh, I want to so bad. I want to stay in my dreams with her forever, I would do almost anything at this point." Teddy got out breathless from all of the talking and crying.

"Had you ever talked about marriage or children with her?" He asked Teddy trying to gauge where their relationship was at.

"Once and I remember because she suffered from physical and sexual abuse growing up and I was shocked that she wanted children. I don't know why I thought she wouldn't but I know she does."

The session helped him vent about everything but he still felt wound tight. He walked back to Elizabeth's room and paused outside of the door praying that when he opened it, he would see her eyes open. The door slowly opened and his hope fell through again as he saw her laying there as she had been the past month. He took a deep breath and sat next to her grabbing her hand and holding it to his face. "C'mon baby. We only have two weeks." He told her as he kissed her good night. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. I love you." And he kissed her forehead and left.

* * *

"I need help with a pitch." Teddy told his wife as she put their daughter down in her crib.

She walked up to him and smiled before planting a kiss on his lips. "I would love to." They went to the bedroom and he brought the pitch folder onto the bed where she lay on his stomach reading the information. He ran his fingers through her hair admiring the way she was intently reading.

"Okay, so the demographic is 18-24 year olds and they're trying to sell breakfast." She asked making sure those were the basics.

"Yes. They were only offering lunch and dinner but are trying to branch out. They want to see a pitch before they decide to do it for sure then."

Elizabeth's fingers danced on the bed the way she always did when she was deep in thought. Teddy laughed seeing her in routine and then she jumped up on all fours.

"I got it." She said excitedly. "The cure. We call it the cure and we market it as a hangover cure. I mean that demographic is mostly in college and are generally obsessed with partying. So, we market it to them as The cure. We don't outright say it but we show hung over looking kids eating breakfast or those studying eating breakfast with the slogan The cure."

Teddy jumped up and tackled her to the bed pushing her hair out of her face. She stared at him with an amused smile. "I love you, you know that?" He asked her. "Of course I do." She replied before kissing him and pulling off his shirt. He worked his fingers under hers and pulled up when he felt something wet on his fingers. He looked down to see blood and then looked up to see Elizabeth unconscious.

Teddy woke up in panic at the usual time and fought the tears this time. He turned the light on and got his notepad out and wrote down, "The Cure" underneath their daughters name Reagan and their wedding song _Feels Like Rain. _


	16. Chapter 16: I'm Right Here

_The chapter that you have all been waiting for. I have recovered from my cold and got some chapters typed. Thank you everyone for your responses to the story. I hope that you have been satisfied so far. I am in the process of re-writing the first chapter so you will get a little extra next update also. Enjoy this chapter and as always let me know what you think. Sorry for the mistakes but I have to get this in now or you won't get it for another day or two. _

Chapter 16: I'm Right Here

There was only two days left before they had to take Elizabeth off of all her medication and feedings and Teddy felt like he was constantly holding his breath. All he could do was wait but it was breaking him, piece by piece. His dreams of her kept getting better and they just made it worse because not only was he losing her he was losing this future life of theirs that he had been witness to. They had taken her off the ventilator and she surprised them all by still breathing but the Doctors all said that they would be surprised if she made it. It was 2am and he gave up on trying to sleep so he worked on his business plan. He was almost finished, but without Elizabeth it made the entire project seem worthless. _She would really like to hear you say that, _his mind yelled at him. She had been so encouraging and her confidence in him made everything easier and more bearable. He grabbed his pencil and started his basic service costs and product costs; he was thankful because this would be a much welcomed distraction. His mother brought him a cup of tea and sat next to him. They had bought him a loft-style penthouse in the city so that he could be closer to Elizabeth and she had been staying with him.

"I know that Chelsea has most of this under control but you're going to have to think about her funeral and some of the arrangements." Ana told him quietly afraid of his reaction.

"I know." He breathed in deeply trying to hold his tears back. "We're meeting tomorrow to talk about it." He told his mother and was grateful she didn't press more on the subject.

"Do you want any help with that? I know a little about it." She asked hoping she could do anything for her son.

"Actually, yea. This is the stuff I'm not good at." He replied failing to offer her a smile.

Ana sat with her son and explained some of the cost processes that she had learned from Christian. She knew that Christian should be the one helping him but she cherished any opportunity to help her son in any way, especially with the outcome they were expecting in the next week. Teddy's leg was shaking ferociously under the table and she could tell he was trying to focus but the tears welling in his eyes told her exactly who he was thinking about. It took everything out of her not to cry for her son and the loss he was feeling right now and she prayed that he would come out of this somewhat salvageable.

"I told her about my dreams today." Teddy broke their silence.

"About being married and having Reagan?" Ana asked shocked.

"Yeah, I needed to share that with her. What do I have to lose?" He laughed sarcastically.

"Did it make you feel better?"

"I hope it made her feel better. Wherever she ends up I hope that she heard that and remembers that I wanted more for us and that I will always be thinking about her. I needed to tell her." He opened up to his mother.

Ana smiled at his bravery because she knew the extent that those dreams bothered him and appeased him at the same time. They both then turned in the direction to his bedroom when they heard his phone ring. Ana looked at Teddy and saw him drop his head and start sobbing. "She died."

Ana ran into his room and saw that it was the hospital's number but it was Elizabeth's room number which was odd. She took the phone and brought it to Teddy.

"Honey, you're going to have to answer it. C'mon." She placed the hand in his phone and he opened it.

"Hello." He said dryly as he tried to hold back his tears.

"Hi." He heard someone say with a raspy tone. "I'm awake." Teddy dropped his phone as he stared at his mother. "I don't know if I'm imagining that." He told his mother shaking his hands.

Ana picked the phone up. "Hello."

"Ana? It's Elizabeth." Elizabeth told her almost at a whisper. "I can't speak very well yet" Ana started crying. "Teddy, it's her. She's awake." Teddy didn't even stay to grab the phone, he ran and threw some clothes on and went to his car. "She's awake!" He yelled at his security team as they all began to wear bright smiles. Teddy drove fast with the windows down because he was finally able to feel something again. His smile probably could have been seen from a mile away and he wanted to tell the world about it but the streets were quiet at this time. He got to her floor as the nurses told him that it was past visiting hours and then Janice emerged from her room.

"It's okay. He's family to her." She told them as he ran in.

When he got through the door he saw her with the head of the bed raised; sipping water out of a straw. She met his eyes and gave him a weak smile before he came to the side of her bed.

Elizabeth's throat felt so sensitive which wasn't surprising but the water was helping at least, when they heard the nurses outside talking. "Teddy's here," She heard Janice say and then watched her walk out to let him in. She could hear his footsteps and saw him walk through the door almost unrecognizable with the beard he had been growing and he looked so tired. She saw his shoulders drop as she watched relief wash over him. "Come here. I've missed you." She managed to get out as he walked over and buried his head in her neck and sobbed. All she could do was rub his back and try and calm him.

"Shhhhh. It's okay. I'm right here." She whispered to him as she felt his chest shake with his sobs.

"I'm sorry." He cried. "I know I'm supposed to be strong."

"Janice has told me how strong you have been and I know how strong you are. Don't worry" And she just let him cry until all of his emotions, fears, and anxiety were gone. When he finally relaxed, she kissed his cheek and forehead.

He raised his head and sat next to her holding her hand still unable to really grasp the joy of the situation. Elizabeth still felt pretty weak but having Teddy there helped her regain some energy.

"When did you wake up?" He asked her feeling even more tired.

"Not too long after you left I guess but I had to deal with Chelsea and all of the doctors and nurses. I told Chelsea not to call you because I wanted to. I'm sorry I couldn't call earlier." She managed to get out and she hoped he wasn't mad.

"I don't even care. I'm just so happy." He told her as he kissed her fingers.

"They say I'll be able to leave in two to three weeks." She told him finally feeling some excitement.

"I'm so glad baby. I hate this place." And he genuinely smiled at her.

"Why don't you have your mother bring you a change of clothes and you can shower and shave here." She spoke as her eyes looked him up and down.

"What? You don't like my beard?" He asked looking at her amused.

"No and you look like you need a good shower." She told him smiling.

"No wonder I have described you as semi-neurotic." He joked with her.

Elizabeth replied with a look of shock. "No one has ever said that about me before." She said sarcastically.

Teddy called his mother from his room phone because he had forgotten his with her. She answered so excitedly and told him she would be there soon when he saw Elizabeth begin to fall asleep.

"Don't fall asleep." He snapped at her and she quickly opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so exhausted from the past couple of hours." She replied and she knew his fears were justified. She knew she would have to wait for him to fall asleep before she could even think of closing her eyes.

They both sat there as he updated her on his family and their friends. He loved just being able to talk to her again and see her speak back or the changes in her expression; the basic forms of communication. He held her hand the entire time, too afraid to let go, and he didn't look away from her once. Elizabeth couldn't believe how different he looked and how much he had aged. She didn't want to tell him that ever since the ventilator was taken out that she was able to hear everyone. It was a couple days of hearing him cry to her and plead with her and she so badly wanted to give him anything to know that she was getting better. _His dreams,_ her thoughts reminded her of his earlier visit, the admission that gave her the strength to wake up because they had plans and they had a future that she needed to live for. They both saw Ana come in and she began to cry at the sight of them two. Elizabeth could see she looked exhausted too and she motioned Ana over to give her a hug. Ana hugged her with a firm embrace.

"I'm so happy you're back." She told her and Elizabeth could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Don't cry please because I'll cry." Elizabeth replied trying to hold her tears back.

"And I'll cry." Teddy got in there before making Ana and Elizabeth laugh. Teddy took the bag from his mother and headed into the bathroom. Ana sat next to Elizabeth and they talked about the entire situation because Elizabeth knew it was too soon to speak to Teddy about it. She just wanted answers though and Ana said she remembered feeling the same way after her kidnapping. Elizabeth had learned that Chris was arrested and Ben had run but she didn't feel threatened by Ben considering he ran because the focus had shifted to her. Her fingers started to dance on the bed.

"You're thinking." She heard Teddy say as he came out of the bathroom a new man. "What?"

"When you run your fingers like that, you're usually thinking." Teddy smiled at her after his reading of her. Ana got up and hugged Elizabeth as she went to leave and go back to bed.

"Thanks Mom. I'll call you later." He said to her as she walked out. Teddy pulled the recliner next to Elizabeth's bed and grabbed her hand; his thumb grazing her fingers.

"You look much better. Much like the man I love." Elizabeth told him as he sat up and looked at her. She knew he wondered if she remembered. "I do remember and I do love you." Elizabeth looked him in the eyes as she spoke to reiterate how truthful she was being. Teddy looked at her grateful and it was what he had needed to hear since that night. His hands found her cheeks as he kissed her hard and they stayed that way for a long time; their chemistry ignited again and their bond found. She pulled back as she smiled at him and rubbed her fingers across his shaven face. His smooth skin was the best thing she had felt as she felt the heat come from him and it revived her. "I can feel things again and hear things and best of all is that it's you." She spoke softly as he sat back down in the recliner. "I just love hearing your voice again and watching you move." He sat back and returned to rubbing her fingers with his thumb as he asked her to tell him what the next week will be like. Elizabeth agreed to his request and started outlining general details of her physical therapy and the removal of her IV's and feeding tube. She turned to Teddy when she heard him start snoring and finally felt free to close her eyes too.

The next week went by fast as she worked hard to be walking by the end of the week. They had removed her IV and she started solids again after the removal of the feeding tube. The doctors had all been surprised by how quick her recovery was but she had a great support system. She had asked Teddy to stay with her at night and he would stay a couple hours during the day with Chelsea filling in the rest. Janice had begun to walk with her around the hospital wing as soon as they gave her the affirmation to do so. At first she was slow and Elizabeth was surprised at how weak her legs felt. Logically she knew that they would be but the feeling of it shocked her. Her legs fell into a good rhythm as she worked herself up to a slow walking pace walking around the last corner to her room. As soon as she turned the corner, Teddy came into view and smiled enthusiastically at her. He walked closer to her as she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was the first time they were able to embrace fully as she felt his heat and his body; the normalcy comforted and excited them both. He held her hand the rest of the way back to her room and she lay back down in bed exhausted.

"I should be coming home soon." She uttered breathlessly.

"I'm very excited for us to get back to our normal lives." He replied trying to gain the courage to ask her.

"I don't know if this sounds clingy but I can't wait to be with you every day." She told him nervously. "awake, I mean."

"It's not clingy. I would love to spend every day with you which brings me to this question. I want you to move in with me." Elizabeth sat up and stared at him.

"That technically wasn't a question. It was more of a demand." She told him sarcastically.

"Well will you?" Elizabeth kept looking at him to gauge how serious he was. She breathed deeply and sighed.


	17. Chapter 17: A Night to Remember

_Another update is here. I'm so grateful for the kind reviews after the last chapter. You all are great readers and so motivating. Thank you to those who have made this story a favorite or followed this. Enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think. _

Chapter 17: A Night to Remember

Elizabeth fell into Teddy's embrace helping her weak body stay upright as it was the longest she had been up since that hell of a night. She closed her eyes and tried to stay present as she felt the comfort of Teddy's body next to her and the motion of the elevator. Her thoughts of her decision to move in with him and she was too exhausted to question herself. _You deserve to be happy. This is a new and wonderful beginning with someone you love. Let yourself feel it and enjoy it, _her thoughts repeated to her calming her anxiety. She felt him kiss her forehead and it shocked her that she immediately felt like she couldn't react and return a kiss. After six weeks her body was still in the routine of receiving but not being able to give and the still present numb feeling worried her. She took her hands and grabbed his face as she put her lips to his with as much feeling as she could give him and he gave into her completely as she felt him relax into her. The elevator door opened and she pulled away from him to see her new home. _Our home_, she let her mind remind her. Her eyes met the enormous living room with worship as she saw the huge concrete ceilings with track lighting, the living room divided by bookcases, and the white kitchen fit for a chef.

"I bought this in hopes of you moving in with me and I knew this is exactly what you would have wanted. It has 3 bedrooms and we have a balcony and also the private rooftop with planted trees and plants." He spoke watching her take in their home.

Elizabeth couldn't speak as she stared at the entire wall facing the balcony was all windows. A two story wall with just windows.

"I absolutely love this. How much was this?" She asked him feeling completely overwhelmed with where she would be now living.

Teddy laughed at her question. "The value dropped but it was 1.2." He told her knowing that omitting the price or lying to her about it would have sent her running. "It's not a big deal. I love this place too. I would have stayed here even if you wouldn't have moved in with me. I'm thankful that I looked at this place because it reminded me of you." Elizabeth's mouth dropped at the price and she knew that she would have to get used to the amount of money he has. She shook her head at Teddy, "What am I going to do with you." He put his arms around her and kissed her. "Welcome home," he whispered and all she could do was smile and sit down on the couch.

"I had an interior decorator come in and Chelsea met with her to tell her about your personality and then she mixed both of our personalities to come up with this." He told her as he motioned his hand at their apartment.

"You've been a busy bee. I can't believe this is our apartment. Teddy, this is too much for me." Elizabeth looked around their beautiful apartment completely overcome by the cost of it all. Teddy sat next to her and grabbed her hands. "Look at me. I owe you more than this, I owe you my life. I would do anything for you. I wanted this for us and all we have to do now is enjoy it. You deserve nothing less than this and I will work my damn ass off every day to give you everything you have ever wanted." Elizabeth could feel his hands tighten and she could see, hear, and feel how serious he was. "Right now, I only want you. There are some things you owe me simply because we are in a relationship; your life isn't one of them. That is reserved for your mother only and I will not take credit for it. I wasn't made for a life like this and I have never planned for one before. A simple life of being a nurse in Seattle for a while and then moving to a small town was really all I thought I needed, so it's going to take me some time to get used to this." She saw him tense after the small town comment. "You want to move to a small town?" He asked her confused. "I wanted a couple different things before I met you. Now, my plans and wants have changed and that's why I'm here with you. All of my future plans now include you and your wants and needs. I think this happens in every relationship; although, since you're my first I can't say that with complete certainty." She finally finished and smiled at him. "I love you and I love our home. I'm honestly happy right now, more than I have ever been before." She added before he stared at her and kissed her as he rubbed her cheek. "I love you. Now, let's relax before everyone gets here tonight." He told her as he put the T.V on she lay on top of him with her head on his chest. He could feel her start to fall asleep and it still frightened him but it was irrational to believe she could survive on no sleep so he worked through his fear and fell asleep with her.

"Really, both of you are still asleep?" Elizabeth heard Chelsea talk vaguely through her sleep induced state.

"What time is it?" She yelled out.

"Well your company will be here in an hour." Chelsea replied.

Elizabeth sat up sleepily and looked to see Teddy still passed out. "Let's let him sleep. I would show you a tour but I haven't officially had one yet so we can find my room together." She told Chelsea as she stood slowly needing another pain pill.

"Here, I'll get your pills ready." Chelsea searched the cabinets for the glasses and laid out Elizabeth's pm medication.

"You still haven't told me what you think?" Elizabeth questioned Chelsea.

"About what?" Chelsea looked at Elizabeth to see her motion to the apartment. "Oh. It's absolutely beautiful. I can't believe you're living in the Banner building. I'm sorry. It's just Jake and I got into an argument earlier and I worked a double yesterday so I'm kinda crabby." She finally admitted.

"It's fine. Are you sure you're still not upset about me living here?" Elizabeth asked because she needed the reassurance.

Chelsea turned and looked at her best friend taking a deep breath. "I will never be upset about it. I'm sad because you were about to be my roommate but I'm so deeply happy for you. I, honestly, never believed you would let someone in, let alone love another person. I have always worried about you in the future and now I don't. Now, take your medication so we can go upstairs and I can vent about Jake while I fix ya up." Chelsea handed the water to Elizabeth and smiled. Reprieve hit Elizabeth as they both toured the apartment and the bedrooms upstairs when they found hers.

"You truly are a lucky bitch" Chelsea said as she went through their wardrobe and got Elizabeth an outfit out. They then both went into the bathroom and Elizabeth sat on a stool while Chelsea did her hair and makeup. "Feel better?" Chelsea asked when she was done. "You have no idea. I feel somewhat normal again and I don't look so damn pale." She replied as she eyed herself in the mirror. Her clothes were fitting better as she was gaining her weight back and she began to feel like herself again.

Teddy's eyes opened slowly as he could hear a faint noise. He sat up and stretched when he realized Chelsea was here and he could hear them talking. The topic of conversation was Jake and Teddy laughed to himself as he had never heard the famous "girl talk". He felt as though he was privy to something so sacred and it made him feel special. He stood and panicked when he saw the time. His parents and grandparents and would be showing up soon and nothing was here yet. He ran upstairs to see the girls when he saw Elizabeth looking just like she had before the shooting. There it was; that normalcy he had wanted back so badly and he felt his body relax. Tonight was about having her back and as long as the people they both loved and cared about were here, there was nothing to panic about. She smiled at him and kissed him before turning to leave. "We'll leave you alone and get things ready downstairs. Come down soon though because I have no idea where anything is." He watched her walk and he could tell she was still in some pain but Chelsea had her arm wrapped in hers which lessened his fear. His wardrobe was a mess and he worked through the mess to find some jeans and a green button up that he threw on quickly and finished the rest of his appearance in the bathroom. The reflection in the mirror was a much better sight than it had been in weeks. His eyes weren't so sunken and he had been eating again which helped his clothes frame his body better. He walked down the stairs to see Elizabeth setting the table and Chelsea getting the glasses out and the magnitude of the situation that she was now living with him finally hit. He would have her every day in pajamas, scrubs, any clothes, or none at all and whatever mood she came in. His lack of any sexual release for the past two months also overwhelmed him as he saw her ass in her jeans as she reached for some plates. The front of his pants began to feel his erection and he snuck back upstairs until he got it under control.

Elizabeth stood with her hands on her hips already feeling exhausted again and somewhat frustrated that Teddy invited everyone over. She would have been happy with just Chelsea for tonight but she figured her lack of familial relationships probably didn't help her understand his need for them to come. The doorbell rang and she breathed a sigh of relief knowing the food he ordered was here but unknown to her, he was having it catered. The older gentleman walked in and completely took over the kitchen while he prepared the food and growing even more frustrated with the shortage of information Teddy had given her, she sat on the couch, needing a breath. Her frustration grew as she watched the chef cook in the kitchen and it took everything she had to restrain herself. _What is wrong with you? So easily upset. Get a hold of yourself. This is for you being alive and it's another way he is showing you that he cares, _and with that thought, Elizabeth let her head fall back calming herself in the process. _And I can't even drink tonight¸_ she thought as she shook her head. She watched Teddy finally come downstairs and she immediately became turned on as she saw his cheeks a little flushed and his hair tousled. _God help me regain my strength to bang the shit out of him. _Elizabeth laughed to herself as she stood to give him a kiss and he turned away from her; beginning to speak to the chef. She brushed it off as her just being crabbier than usual and joined Chelsea at the table who was almost finished with her first glass of wine. They began to talk when the doorbell went off again and Elizabeth stood to greet them. Christian, Ana, Taylor, Gail, and a tall woman, probably a couple years older than her, walked in with bright smiles on their faces.

"Elizabeth, it is so nice to see you upright and in normal clothes." Christian joked with her as he embraced her in a hug with Ana in tow.

"My young dear, you look absolutely beautiful as always." Taylor told her before ushering the young woman forward. "This is my daughter, Sophie. She's in town and really wanted to come." Elizabeth looked at her, a very pretty slender and tall figure for a woman and smiled. "I'm Elizabeth. It's very nice to meet you." She put her hand out to have Sophie hug her. "It is very nice to meet you, the young woman who saved my Ted's life. I was so worried when my father first told me about everything and I am so glad you are okay." Sophie spoke not monotone but her tone was enough for Elizabeth to grow weary. She sounded like a people pleaser but Elizabeth brushed it off and replied with a thank you. Sophie then turned to Teddy and hugged him. Teddy embraced her awkwardly and Elizabeth could tell he immediately became uncomfortable around her; although, maybe he just thought she would be jealous and was trying to be courteous. _We will have to talk about that later, _Elizabeth thought as she laughed to herself again. She was not a jealous person and always enjoyed when other girls looked at Teddy the same way she did the first night she met him. _It means you have good taste, _her mind spoke devilishly to her and Elizabeth agreed. Grace and Carrick then walked in afterwards as Elizabeth prepared her body for another two embraces and she attempted not to grimace with some of the pain but Grace caught on immediately. "What kind of pain medication did they give you? I can go over your chart if you want me to?" she spoke worriedly.

"I'm fine but I can have you look at the medication later." She replied knowing that any purpose for an elder is refreshing. The reply worked as Grace's face lit up and she greeted the rest of the group. They all then commented on the space and how much they loved it before sitting down to wait for dinner. The conversation was easy but Elizabeth could feel a disconnect with Teddy and she wasn't sure what she did to deserve it. Chelsea must have been able to sense her best friends discomfort and stood to address the group.

"Christian and Ana, I do owe you both an apology. I'm so sorry for my behavior for the past two months. The entire situation had me on edge and I needed somewhere to lay blame within the close proximity of my reality and not someone off in jail that I will never have to deal with. She's my sister practically and I have already lost a sibling so almost losing her was heart breaking. You both should never have been the target of my anger and sadness. I'm so, so sorry." Elizabeth watched her as she spoke with tears welling in her eyes and she began to cry. She then heard Chelsea reference her brother who passed away and Elizabeth grabbed her hand. Ana stood and gave Chelsea a hug along with Grace. "You would most definitely be a perfect addition to our family so scoop that Jake up." Grace told her smiling and Christian smiled at her with forgiveness. Chelsea sat down still squeezing Elizabeth's hand and Elizabeth leaned over. "I love you and I'm so proud of you." She whispered as Chelsea gave her a look. "You will only see me this emotional once. I love you too. God, what has happened to us?" She replied, laughing at the last part.

They returned to their dinner and Elizabeth placed her hand on Teddy's leg and lay her head on his shoulder. "I'm going to run into the kitchen for a minute." She heard him utter as he stood quickly and left. She felt so confused and Sophie had to ask her twice before the question registered. "Oh, there is a bathroom right through the kitchen there." She answered and easily returned to her confusion and hurt.

Teddy felt Elizabeth's hand at his leg and he immediately became turned on. _Fuck, this night is becoming a fucking disaster. Sophie's sitting there as if nothing happened. _He stood in regret of their decision to keep their relationship secret from their parents because then she would have never been invited to come stood quickly to run to the kitchen and see if he could still himself for the second time tonight. His body was on overdrive and Elizabeth looked quietly sexy with her hair braided messily and in her sweater that bared her shoulder. It was her staple outfit for the nights he would go to her apartment when they were still only friends. The thoughts of her were not helping and he struggled to compose himself when he saw Sophie come by him. He panicked as he looked to see if anyone could see them and his anxiety rose when he knew they couldn't. _God damn it, she looks good for a two timing bitch. Why the fuck did I ever lost my virginity to her or love her for that matter?_ His thoughts became cruel little daggers that he imagined shooting at her.

"What's the matter Ted?" She asked before looking at his pants. "Happy to see me?" Her laugh angered Teddy.

"Stay the fuck away from me and don't kid yourself. This is not because of you." He snapped at her as he looked down towards the zipper of his pants.

"I used to turn you on all the time especially after you walked in on your parents that day. You came to me wanting to banish that curiosity and it was so much fun. Have you told her that yet or are you only that honest with me?" She spoke and smiled when he didn't respond to her question.

"You were my fucking girlfriend at the time so of course I told you. We are over and I am with someone else." She wasn't intimidated by his stare and he knew it was because he had done worse to her high on the sexual adrenaline they both had experimented with. "I can't wait for you to fucking leave."

"Oh, I'm not. I'm moving to Seattle. My father didn't tell you? I'm the new marketing director for a small publishing company." _Who the fuck did you have to screw to get that job, _he thought. She ran her fingers over his when they both heard Chelsea walk in. Teddy could see the look on Chelsea's face as she registered the situation and it even scared him. Sophie hastily left and walked back into the dining room with a grin of victory plastered on her face. _You have got to be fucking kidding me, _Teddy thought as he felt Chelsea's glare on him and his pants felt it too as they returned to normal.

"Really?" He heard her ask with a hand on her hip and a snap of her head to match.

"It's nothing. Drop it." He told her as he marched past her and sat back down by Elizabeth.


	18. Chapter 18: Admissions

_Thank you all for your reviews! They are always appreciated. I updated Chapter 1 if any of you would like to read it again. It offers more background of their relationship in the very beginning. Enjoy this chapter! _

Chapter 18: Admissions

Elizabeth sat at the table feeling her body slowly giving out for the day but her mind wouldn't let it. She had been watching Teddy and Chelsea pout the entire rest of the dinner and she had to entertain their company most of the night. She walked their company out as Chelsea sat at the table and Teddy worked in the kitchen and her frustration hit a breaking point as soon as the door closed.

"You." She pointed at Chelsea. "Out. Text me tomorrow about whatever this is. I'm too exhausted to deal with both of you right now." She watched Chelsea stand and turn to Teddy. "If she can't explain the situation in the kitchen tomorrow, I'll give her my own rendition of it." Chelsea spoke angrily and even Elizabeth hadn't seen her so angry before. She grabbed her jacket and kissed Elizabeth on the cheek as she left. Elizabeth turned to Teddy to see him cowering in the kitchen. "Leave this for tomorrow. Upstairs. We're going to talk about this in bed because I don't have the strength to do it anywhere else." She could feel the pain medication wearing off as she walked up the stairs and Teddy's hand found the lower of her back to help. "You can touch me now? Well that is awfully nice of you." She spat out at him as they finally reached the bathroom and she slammed the door shut. Her eyes closed and her mind raced with panic over her fast decision to move in. _Breathe. Just breathe. You're being emotional. _Her fingers found her temples as she tried to rub the frustration away and her fear. She felt stronger than this and better than this petty shit that she had been subject to tonight. The toothbrush hit her teeth viciously and Elizabeth watched herself in the mirror feeling hurt that their first night in their home turned to this. Teddy was sitting up in bed, flipping through the channels on the T.V, when she finally came out of the bathroom and she undressed into a short nightgown and climbed in bed. She could smell his cologne and desperately wanted to just put her head on his chest and relax but her need for an explanation overruled that decision.

"Are you going to tell me what the hell your problem was tonight?" She asked as she brought her knees to her chest. Teddy watched her and the guilt he felt seeing her try to comfort herself made him nauseous. _Fucking Sophie._

"I'm sorry about dinner." He tried to continue but Elizabeth quickly turned to him.

"Dinner? How about before dinner? You ignored me before dinner, during dinner, and then became an asshole halfway through. I am not that girl, Teddy." She yelled at him and the tears fell down her cheeks. "I'm sorry for crying. I'm exhausted and hurt."

"I'm so sorry. This is going to sound ridiculous but, " Teddy took a deep breath prepared to embarrass himself to make her feel better. "I got a hard on every time I looked at you tonight and when you touched me at the table which is why I left." He murmured and he heard her laugh.

"I'm sorry." She laughed out. "I'm way too tired for this conversation. You could have just told me to avoid this situation." She told him as she slowly moved her body to sit in his lap and she curled up into him. Teddy lay back to get more comfortable and covered them with the blanket. He took another deep breath as he readied himself to tell her about Sophie.

"That's not all that happened. Sophie is who I lost my virginity to and we dated for about a year. We broke up right before I met you and Chelsea walked in on her hitting on me in the kitchen and I'm pretty sure she thought the erection I had, was from her." Elizabeth raised her head and looked at him. "She was the love of your life?" She asked him looking confused. "What?" His facial expression matched hers.

"One night and I'm not surprised you don't remember this. Freddie dropped you off at my apartment and you were very drunk. I guess you had seen her and she was engaged and you spent an hour talking about how much you loved her." Teddy looked at her shocked or embarrassed, she couldn't tell. "It was a couple months after we had first met." She lay her head back down on his chest as it was too tiring to hold it up.

"You know you're the love of my life right? Not her." Teddy kissed her head and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Of course I know. I wouldn't have moved in if I didn't feel that way. I'm surprised that your parents thought it was a good idea for her to come. Don't get me wrong I really like Taylor and Gail and I'm not threatened by her at all but I could tell you were uncomfortable most of the night." She replied fighting the urge to fall asleep on him.

"My parents never knew about us. She lived far and it was during the time I quit talking to them. Wait, you're not mad about the kitchen?"

"You told me she was hitting on you. I'm sure plenty of girls hit on you. It's pretty ballsy that she did it in our apartment and I don't really care for her but as long as your feelings for her are resolved and you didn't hit on her then we're fine." Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders not really knowing what the big deal was. "I mean she is only visiting too." Teddy inhaled sharply through his teeth as he hated all of the drama that his life kept giving him.

"She is actually moving to Seattle." He grimaced as he waited for her reaction but all she replied with was a laugh and she sat up next to him.

"Yayy." She shook her hands in a celebratory manner sarcastically. "Honestly, is this all our life will be? Dealing with crazies?" She asked laughing to herself. "I don't know where it came from but I got a shot of energy." Teddy watched her confused and not at all accustomed to women like her if there were any. He had been in two serious relationships before her and each one of them would have flipped shit about this situation and it made him feel as though she didn't care. "So, you don't care that she is interested in me or is now most likely going to be somewhat a normal occurrence in our life?

Elizabeth could tell he looked hurt and she wasn't quite sure why. This was her first relationship and the dynamic was still lost on her as the basic fundamentals of trust and love for her was all she needed. "I care that she hit on you at our apartment when I was just in the other room but like I told you, she is not a threat as long as you don't make her one. Is this one of those relationship things I don't understand? Teddy, you are the first person I have ever been in a relationship with and I see nothing for me to be upset about? We both love each other and we both trust each other. Letting her have any effect on our life would give her exactly what she wants and she is miniscule compared to what we have already been through. I can handle her if it gets out of control. I've handled much worse. I love you and I only care about what you're doing, not her." Elizabeth tried to explain in basic detail why she felt the way she did in hopes he would understand. Teddy sat up to look at her and he pulled her head forward to kiss her forehead.

"You make relationships so easy." He looked at her shocked.

"It shocks me too." She laughed at him. "I have never done this before so if I'm doing something wrong, you can tell me."

"I actually think this is the way relationships are supposed to be. I just have never experienced it before." He smiled at her. "I think you're my first real relationship too."

Elizabeth smiled at him and she was mad that she second guessed her decision to move in here with him. In her heart she knew she belonged here with him and after coming out of her coma she finally realized that life goes on after pain. She would be extremely hurt and sad if they didn't work out but she would make it. Life would go on but it was the fact that she wanted a life that involved him. She thought about his family and she realized that he had never told her what happened with his parents.

"You never told me what happened with your parents?" Elizabeth saw Teddy's face quickly change from a smile to a look of defeat. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head as he lay back down.

"Don't laugh." He turned and stared at her. "I had come home from school one weekend and I hadn't told them I was coming home." Teddy decided to spare the details. "I walked in on them having sex." He spat out and he covered his face with the blanket.

Elizabeth smirked. "Babe, I think this is a lot more common than you think. Chelsea walked in on her parents when she was like 14 but she didn't stop talking to her parents for it." The urge to laugh was beating at her and it took a lot of strength for her to suppress it. She watched Teddy take a deep breath and he kept his face covered.

"They were in a playroom of sorts that I had never known about. It was a secret room and the only reason I knew was because I could hear my mother." She watched him shudder under the blanket. "They are into BDSM." He finally admitted.

"Oh." Elizabeth raised her eyebrows in shock because she was not expecting to hear that. She pulled the blanket back and kissed him. "I'm not quite sure how to respond to that. I have no inspiring talk for that one." She admitted.

"Well, that's a first." He laughed to himself. "I walked in on him spanking my mother and he was doing it hard. So I left pissed at both of them but more at my father to hurt her like that." His anger arose as he remembered.

"But, isn't that like what people enjoy with that lifestyle. I know a little of it because Chelsea and I were curious one day but I mean it's consensual between both of them." She tried to offer something of value to the conversation.

"I know. It took me a long time to realize that but I mean I was curious and I looked it up on the internet which I shouldn't have done."

"I know it gets pretty hardcore when you look it up. I think everyone has at least a mild form of BDSM in their relationships." She saw him look away from her. "And, you're not telling me something." Teddy looked at her and she could tell he struggled more with this than the information before.

"I was curious about the lifestyle after reading about it and I was dating Sophie at the time. We tried some of it and I actually enjoyed it. It shocked me and I quit because I felt uncomfortable with it like I was too much like my father who I hated at the time. Well, it turns out she really enjoyed it and found someone else to give it to her. That's when we broke up." Elizabeth surprised herself when she felt a pang of jealousy of how open he had been sexually with her.

"It's all preference and as long as both people have consented to it, there is no problem. That honestly shows how much you trusted her to experiment sexually. You don't have to feel ashamed for enjoying it."

"I always had this fear of telling you that considering what you had been through. I always felt like you would hate me." Elizabeth knew the courage it took for him to admit his fear. Most people that knew of her past hated referencing it and she usually hated it too but the more she quit talking about it the more she felt disconnected from that life. There were people from that time that she hated to forget simply because of her fear of the memories and she needed to remember that life to keep her grounded in this one.

"I love you because you're always honest with me and I want you to be able to tell me anything. I don't want my past to hinder this relationship in any way." Her momentum of energy was dying off and she so badly wanted to stay up and talk with him all night. Teddy must have sensed her exhaustions return and he pulled her down to lie on his chest.

"I love you more than you'll ever know." He whispered to her and he shut of the lamp on the side table. "I love you." She whispered back and closed her eyes.

Elizabeth fell asleep easily as he ran his fingers through her hair inhaling the smell of it. _As long as your feelings for her are resolved, _he heard her voice in his head. _Resolved? She needs to fucking apologize for the shit she put you through. _He felt severe anger towards her and he wanted to punish her. The word punish was the wrong word to reference as the memories of their experimentation hit him. Her moans of pleasure as he slapped her while thrusting into her hard. She had begged him to do it and he remembered trying so hard to make her forget so he kept driving into her harder but she just kept on asking so he did. His hand met her face with more force than he had meant to but she came all over him and praised him right after. They had been experimenting for months but that time scared him. He hated her for making him do that but he despised himself in that moment because he enjoyed it and he came with her. _Fuck, _he thought as he got another erection and the guilt came back as he knew it wasn't because of Elizabeth.


	19. Chapter 19: Winning

_It get's hot in here in the beginning of the chapter. Prepare yourselves. :) Enjoy this chapter for shit hits the fan the next one. I have it all typed and I so badly want to put it up right now but I'm going to make you wait. As always Thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows. Let me know what you think. _

Chapter 19: Winning

It had been two weeks of sleeping and studying for Elizabeth and Teddy had finished his business plan to have his dad agree to fund him for an office space. All of them felt it was too early for Elizabeth to take the NCLEX but if she hadn't taken it today, she would have had to wait months. _48 hours, that's it. Just two days._ It was the mantra she had been repeating to herself since she left as she awaited the results. It was going to be the longest two days and she had no idea how she was going to do it. Her phone vibrated in her purse and she got it out to see Teddy calling. They had been great the first week but he kept rejecting her sexual advances for the past week. She felt back to normal and all incisions were healed but he would pretend he was asleep or complain that it was too soon. Thank god for the amount of studying she had to do because her strength was breaking.

"Hello." She said dryly.

"Hey, how did your test go?" He asked distractedly.

"I'm somewhat confident. Whatsup?" Elizabeth could feel her anger and frustration build as she heard him talking to someone else.

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you I officially have an office. A desk, art on the wall, and I have your Christmas gifts on my desk right in front of me." He sounded so excited and Elizabeth wished she could feel happier for him but his behavior the past week was ruining it. That was the moment she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"That's great. Can I swing by in a couple hours." Elizabeth hated feeling desperate and that's exactly how she felt. She tried to suppress her anger by reminding herself that he was busy with building his business and his fear of hurting her was justified.

"Yeah, It's only me up here since I haven't hired anyone so just come on in." He replied before hanging up without saying good bye.

"Good bye to you too." She said to her phone and threw it in her purse. _You shouldn't have to work this hard for him, _she thought to herself before banishing the thought. She took a deep breath and hailed a cab. "Zovo store please." She told the cab driver and called her hairstylist for an emergency appointment.

She couldn't believe that she had to do this much work to seduce her boyfriend but damn it their relationship needed it. She had never had to work this hard before and maybe that's what was bothering her; the fact that she had never been rejected before and she was now by her own boyfriend. She got in the elevator and pushed the button to his floor and they had already included _Grey Advertising_ on the directory. Immense pride filled her as she saw his dream coming true and her bad mood slowly withered away. Elizabeth opened the door to Teddy's office to find him talking on the phone. He was in a grey suit with a black skinny tie and seeing him sit at the desk started her arousal.

Teddy saw Elizabeth come in when he was talking on the phone. Her hair had big curls that fell freely around her face and her she had dark smokey eyes. He tried to focus on his phone call but she looked fucking hot and he had to readjust his pants. He watched her turn towards the door when he had to get back to his phone call. She stood in a white trench coat, black panty hose and black pumps waiting.

"Did we have plans for tonight?" He asked her as he put the phone down. "I mean I guess we should celebrate my new office and you taking your test." He said and he stood to walk over to her.

"Well, I'm glad I dressed for a celebration then." She said and he could see the devilish look on her face when she dropped her trench coat. His eyes feasted on her in white lace bra and panties with thigh high black pantyhose. She looked like a fucking Victoria's Secret model with her hair curled and her long waist accentuated by the place her panties hit on her hips. His erection was clearly visible and the fear of hurting her was nowhere near strong enough anymore. He watched her walk over to him and he watched her hips move so sensually when he looked up to see her biting her lower lip. "If you don't fuck me on your desk right now, you'll be sleeping here until you do." She whispered into his ear. He put his hand through the back of her hair, pulled her head down, and their tongues met with ferocious force. He could hear her moan as she relaxed into his grip and there was no stopping him now. His hand found her nipple as he teased it through the lace before he unsnapped it in the back. Elizabeth dropped her arms and let her bra fall to the floor as she pushed his jacket off. The shirt would take forever so she undid one button and then ripped the rest of his button up off. He smirked at her and she pushed his head to side as she licked his neck and bit at his jaw. She could feel him exhale hard in pleasure and she took his nipples in her mouth as she removed his belt and pushed his pants down. She licked her way down before getting to his boxers and she took them off as she took him in her mouth. Teddy steadied himself against his desk as he watched her take him in and out of her mouth with complete content. He had missed her like this, confident, sexy and he hadn't realized how much he had missed sex with her. She moaned and he couldn't take it anymore and he didn't want to finish yet. He pulled himself out of her as she stood and pushed him back onto the desk and she removed his shoes and pants. She was in complete control for now and he let her have her fun. She was dominating him and he relished every minute of it. She took off her panties and climbed onto the desk and on top of him taking him in fully; making them both throw their heads back in pleasure. It had been so long for both of them but Elizabeth shivered at the pleasure she felt having him inside her. She rode him slowly at first with no set rhythm, just slowly up and down to tease him and when he tried to grab her to go faster she pinned his hands down to the side and kissed him. "Fuck," was all he could utter as she kept up the teasing. She slowly increased her speed before finding a groove and she could feel him getting harder inside her which only made her go faster. He watched her ride him, her hips moving, and her hair falling sensually in her face and he couldn't take it any longer. He grabbed her hips before she could stop him and she fell forward and he fucked her hard when he felt her pull on his ear with her teeth and he came inside her squeezing her hips as he did. He knew she hadn't orgasmed yet and he flipped her over and pulled out of her. He was going to fuck her again but needed the break so he began to kiss her inner thighs as she squirmed on his desk. It was a sight he was going to remember forever seeing her lay naked on his desk. He finally gave into her pleading as he took her in his mouth and he looked up to see her pinching at her nipples. He became hard again but he was going to make her come like this before turning her over again. Her hands grabbed his head and he knew she was close. "Ahhh, Teddy!" She came loudly and he didn't even let her recover before pulling her up and turning her over. He pulled her head to side as he kissed her neck and he noticed the smirk of content on her face because she knew her favorite position was coming. He pushed her down as he guided himself into her and they both groaned at the feeling. He wrapped her hair around his hand and she positioned her hands on the desk and he drove hard into her. She met each thrust and he went slowly and deep at first to draw it out but his arousal was getting intense faster this time. His speed increased and they both moaned. Elizabeth loved the control he had in this position and the feel of her hair being pulled only intensified her love for it. She was so close again and she worked hard to hold out for him. "Oh God, I'm so close," she heard him say breathlessly and just hearing the pleasure in his voice made her orgasm and she felt him release too. Her arms were shaking as they stayed where they were to recover. "Oh my God." She whispered breathlessly at her sudden feeling of relaxation. Teddy's whole body shook as he pulled out of her and unwrapped her hair from his hand. She quickly put on her panties and he put his boxers on before she curled up on his lap in his chair. He draped his button up over her and they sat there in silence. He realized how neglectful he had been with her and distracted with the business. She never generally had to work so hard to seduce anyone and he knew it took a lot of effort on her part to concoct this plan.

"I'm sorry for the way I've been acting the past week." He whispered to her.

"It's fine. This is all we needed." She whispered back and he agreed. "Congratulations." Elizabeth said as she kissed him. "Your office looks great."

"I'm glad we broke it in." He replied laughing.

Elizabeth giggled and then stood to get her clothes back on. She grabbed the spare clothes that she had thrown into her purse and picked up her bra. She felt at ease again and so relaxed as she was fully dressed again.

"I have the next three days free for you." He told her seeing her look up and grin.

"But why?" She asked excitedly.

"I know you have 48 hours before you find out about your results and I know that you would either start working out again even though you're not supposed to or clean like a maniac. So, I am here to take your mind off of it and then to celebrate when you pass." He stood and pulled his pants on and then laughed at the sight of his shirt.

"I got a little excited." She replied when she him staring at the shirt. Teddy laughed and then threw her a look that he knew could always get her ready for him. "Let's get home, shall we?" She responded to his look with her look that he knew she was thinking about something dirty. He threw on what was left of his shirt and they went to his car and drove home. For the two days, he had fucked her on every couch, in every bed, and on the stairs in response to her challenge that he didn't have the stamina to do so. Elizabeth woke up to her phone alerting her of an email and she couldn't believe how sore her body was. It was sore enough for her to contemplate taking some pain medication but she couldn't even focus after she read the email.

"Teddy!" She screamed hoping he was around somewhere. She looked over the railing to see him come from the kitchen licking a spoon. "What?" He replied confused.

"I passed. I am now Elizabeth Carmicheal R.N." She laughed excited and then she started to cry. _What the hell Elizabeth? Pull them back you fucking baby. _A little harsh she thought but she struggled to stop crying. She had never seen Teddy move so fast up the stairs as he made his way to stand before her.

"What's wrong? You feel okay?" He questioned with a worried expression.

"How did you move so fast?" She got out between sobs. "I don't know what is wrong with me. I'm just so excited and happy." She cried out at him to see him start laughing. He pulled her into a hug and she fell into his embrace.

"I'm so proud of you." He whispered before starting to laugh again. "I have a special dinner planned for tonight at my parents. It's nothing big, just a dinner." He told her to see her look up at him with watery eyes. He could see how elated she was through the real conveyors of her emotions. "We leave in two hours." He told her and he could see her failing to be patient. "Go, and call Chelsea." Elizabeth jumped out of his arms and fetched her phone. Teddy watched her excitement with an amused look as she sat like a fifteen year old on the bed talking to their best friend. He went into the bathroom to start getting ready and his phone went off. It was a text from a number he didn't know.

_Hey, I can't wait to see you tonight. Let's catch up like old times. Don't get too slap happy at the idea. _

"Fucking Sophie." He uttered as he shook his head. _Fuck me. _He couldn't believe she had the balls to show up at Elizabeth's celebration dinner. If she did anything to fuck up tonight, he would make damn sure she didn't work anywhere in Seattle.

Elizabeth held Teddy's hand as he led her around the back of the house which she felt was odd but she followed him to the French doors that open to the living room. All of the lights were off and she couldn't see anything but the hall light glowing. "Are you sure that your parents know we're coming?" She asked him confused and his only reply being the motion of opening the door.

"SURPRISE" She heard screaming voices coming from the darkness when someone finally turned the lights on. All of her friends and his family were standing in the room with excited expressions and all she could do was flash a cheesy smile. _A natural smile, Elizabeth. _Her inner voice reminded her and Elizabeth relaxed to greet everyone. She had finally said hi to everyone and she found her way back to Teddy who was talking to Freddie and the rest of the gang. "Excuse me for a minute." She pointed at them as she grabbed Teddy's face and kissed him sensually. She could hear the whistles of their friends which only made her smile as she pulled away. "Thank you for this. I love you." Teddy admiringly stared at her and she could tell she boost his ego a bit with his friends by the way his shoulders were being held.

"Get a penthouse." Chelsea yelled at her and then pulled her away. They were both going to get a glass of Champagne which would be the first time Elizabeth could drink and her excitement about that was almost as much as finding out she was an R.N. She walked into the kitchen and stopped when she Sophie making Elizabeth smirk. _Brave girl. _She thought to herself.

"Sophie. Thank you so much for coming to help celebrate. I'm so glad that you came for dinner the other night and here. I was worried that it might be awkward with your and Teddy's history but you have just been so kind." Elizabeth spoke with an award winning smile and engaged eyes. She watched Sophie's expression change quickly into a confused look. Elizabeth snickered inside.

"He told you about us?" She asked shocked.

"Yes and don't worry, your secret is safe with me for as long as you and Teddy want me to keep it." The concerned friend role was working perfectly as she witnessed all of Sophie's momentum disappear.

"Um, well Thank you. Congratulations." She quickly got out before grabbing another glass of champagne and merging with the crowd.

"Are you okay?" She heard Teddy ask behind her and she turned to see fear in his expression.

"I'm fine. I was just thanking her for coming." She replied smiling and she saw him calm.

"Okay, well everyone is waiting for us in the Living Room." Teddy led her back into the living room and the whole crowd turns to look at them as Teddy clinked a fork to his glass. Elizabeth stepped back a little to see him face her.

"Thank you all for coming to celebrate my beautiful girlfriend's accomplishment tonight. I have watched her work for this for the past year and a half and I am forever in awe of how dedicated she is. I know that recently there was a time I questioned whether or not I would even see her achieve what she worked so hard for." Teddy then turned to her and his eyes met hers with a fiery passion. "While you were in your coma, I made every nurse dictate their actions just in case you could hear them and I thought it might help prepare you. This dream of yours has meant just as much to me and to have been a part of your life while you achieved it has been inspiring." Elizabeth felt tears start to fall and she felt like an idiot and then she looked at Ana and the majority of the women in tears except for one. Sophie stood there looking not only hurt but pissed and Elizabeth smiled at just how well the world works sometimes. "Congratulations, my love. I love you with all my heart." She met his embrace as he pulled her close and kissed her and their foreheads met as she just smiled at him. The love and passion they shared for each other in exchange between their stares and she felt so safe. Confidence of their love filled her as she closed her eyes and pulled away to see the men beaming and the women crying. She looked at the crowd of people staring at her when she realized they were waiting for her speech.

"Um, Well I'm not sure how I can beat that." She started off, getting a laugh out of everyone. "Thank you for coming here to help me celebrate this momentous occasion in my life. I have wanted to be a nurse since I was 13 and my dream has never wavered since that day. My lack of family hasn't ever been discouraging in this journey because this group of people right in front of me and the one beside me; most that I have grown up with have supported and loved me. You all are my family. To hear the news today that all the nights I studied and all the clinicals I worked have all paid off. Thank you to my best friend and sister for everything. I know that you have played the biggest role in this accomplishment." She then turned to Teddy to give him the same loving sentiment he had given her. "I have never told you that I heard you that day that I woke up. I was able to hear everyone after they removed the ventilator. The things you spoke to me that day are what gave me the strength to wake up and I will remain grateful forever that you stayed by my side. I love you." The loud applause faded for her when Teddy kissed her. _This is what love feels like_, she thought. She had never known true love, her mother had never expressed it and her aunt was too late. She studied it from movies and she watched Chelsea fall in love but it wasn't the same. Everything in her being felt this and she realized just how much she had needed someone like him. She was no longer playing it safe and the fear of heartbreak no longer ruled her decisions. If they didn't work out, so be it, but she was going to make damn sure she would enjoy it and give him everything she had to make it work.

Teddy watched her speak with her usual confidence and he was so surprised that the shooting hadn't disrupted anything of her. _She's more attached and more open. It disrupted her fears. _Teddy stood there and panicked under the façade of the happy boyfriend. _She's only doing this because of the shooting. What happens when it wears off? _His thoughts teased him and then he heard her speak about hearing him talk of his dreams. _It is the shooting and the coma. She probably said it to comfort me before she died and then felt bad knowing about the dreams. She's appeasing me. _He heard her finish and for party purposes he kissed her trying to hide his newfound fear.

* * *

Sophie stood in the room completely sickened by the scene of Teddy confessing his love for her in front of everyone. _Idiot. Falling in love with someone so low class. _She watched them embrace and she felt jealous, hurt even, and it just pissed her off. The women in the room were all tearing up if not crying already and she saw how happy Ana and Christian were. They were beaming at them and she knew they loved Elizabeth. They talked about her the entire car ride to their loft the other night. It took everything out of her not to tell them that she was the love of his life first. She watched Elizabeth speak with confidence; her damn presence just took over the room. It's not even that Sophie hated her because she seemed nice but Teddy was supposed to be want her and then she saw it. Teddy had turned and she could see fear in his eyes. Everyone else was watching her but she was watching him. A smile met her lips as she realized he's not as happy as he makes himself out to be. _Well, fuck you for rejecting me. Just wait. _


	20. Chapter 20: The Beginning of The End

_Oh Man. I really tried to not post this yet. I figured I could wait a day but I am horrible. I also do this with presents which is why I have my mother in law keep all of them at her house so I don't give them out yet. I'm sure you wont mind the update although the chapter may be a different story. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you everyone! Enjoy!_

Chapter 20: The beginning of the End.

Teddy drove home with Elizabeth holding his hand and falling asleep. His thoughts were racing of his fear that she didn't truly love him. How would she know what love is? Her own parents never taught her it or showed her. Her aunt had never married and Chelsea loved every other person she had sex with. He shook his head in anger, not at her, because she didn't know any better but that he let himself get attached to her so fast even against all his friends advice not to. Sure, they all were happy for both of them now but they probably wonder also how he tamed her. He looked over at her sleeping with her knees curled up to her chest. _Just enjoy it. You don't know how it will end. So what if her dying is the only reason she loves you. _Her hand squeezed his as she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"What's wrong?" She asked noticing his different mood when they left.

"I'm just tired and thinking about the work I have to start tomorrow." Teddy kept his eyes on the road because Elizabeth could always tell when he wasn't being honest if he looked at her.

"You'll do great. I can bring you some lunch and visit your office." She smirked at him and he looked at her with a smile. He slowed his racing thoughts and pushed them aside as he looked at her so beautiful and so intoxicating. She was a drug for him. He couldn't get enough of her.

"That sounds great." He watched her close her eyes again at his reply and he wished she would keep talking to him. Being alone with his thoughts were too destructive right now. They arrived home and he woke her up as she sleepily followed up upstairs to their bedroom. He stood at the wardrobe and undressed while Elizabeth brushed her teeth in the bathroom. He was looking for new boxers when he felt fingers run up his back. She loved to initiate sex with him and she always tried to do it differently. He turned to see her in a red corset and black ruffled boy short panties.

"You deserve something very special after tonight." She whispered to him as he felt cold metal on his hands. He looked down to see handcuffs slapped on both wrists.

"On the bed." She demanded and she cuffed the ends to the headboard. She climbed on top of him with a naughty smirk and pulled his boxer briefs off. "This is all about you tonight. The lights will be left on so you can see everything and I'm going to fuck you in multiple positions until you come multiple times." He couldn't do anything but smile at her and know that he was going to enjoy this for however long she wanted him to. This is all he needed with her in regards to sex. Both of them didn't need much as their passion and chemistry was so strong. They had always used minimal toys as both of them were generally too engaged with each other to need anything else. He could probably orgasm at the sight of her just naked but he loved her for confidence, readiness, and the fact that he rarely ever had to seduce her. He felt guilty doubting her feelings because she was so damn confident. She rarely ever second guessed her decisions and she wouldn't have told him she loved him if she didn't feel it. All of his fear and anxiety disappeared as he reassured himself that her love wasn't in response to dying. She had felt it all along.

"Are you ready for this?" She whispered to him with a wicked grin. She kept him there for three hours as she catered to him the entire time and the last half hour she set him free to dominate her before they both fell asleep exhausted.

Teddy woke in the best mood that morning and he got a lot done at the office. He knew Elizabeth would be bringing him lunch in about two hours and he got excited at the thought of most likely taking her on his desk again. He would dominate her this time, he decided as he pulled on his tie with a mischievous smirk. His office phone rang and he answered it without looking at the caller I.D.

"Grey Advertising. This is Teddy." He answered leaning back in his chair.

"Hey stranger." Teddy immediately sat forward when he realized it was Sophie.

"Sophie. What do you need?" He asked dryly.

"Look, I would like to apologize but I need to do it in person. I think you deserve to know what happened and you deserve a face to face apology. I was wondering if you can do lunch in an hour. We can pick a restaurant so it's neutral territory. Please. I'm going to be around with you and Elizabeth and our families so I think we should resolve this sooner than later." Teddy sat and contemplated going to lunch with her. _And Elizabeth, _his mind asked him. Teddy shook his head and he knew that it was better for everyone involved that he and Sophie resolve their issues. _Is that really the reason you're going? Shut up. _He shot back at himself. The press had stopped hounding him after they realized that he and Elizabeth were boring again after the shooting. They only followed her now because they loved the way she dressed.

"Fine. The Metropolitan Grill in an hour." He told her before hanging up. He picked up the phone again and dialed Elizabeth's number.

"Hey." She said excitedly. "Whatcha doin?"

"Nothing just working. Hey, I have to cancel with lunch because I have to meet with some potential copywriters." He didn't mean to lie but it just came out. It was an automatic response to her because of his past relationships. He knew he should have just admitted it right then to her but the damage was done.

"Oh. Okay. Well I guess I'll just see you when you get home then. I'll make your favorite tonight, maybe naked." She teased and laughed and he could hear that she was in the kitchen probably making lunch for them which made him feel worse.

"Sounds great. I'll call you later." His hand was shaking even more now.

"Okay. Hey, I love you." She told him and he hung up. He couldn't tell her that right now considering he had just lied to her. _Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. _He thought to himself. He couldn't focus at all on work now and he decided he would go shopping to buy Elizabeth something. He went into his family jewelers and had bought her a gold anchor bracelet and necklace set. They were her favorite and he figured it might win him some points if she ever found out about him lying. The walk to the restaurant calmed him as the cool brisk air helped with his anxiety. He walked into The Metropolitan Grill being told that Sophie was waiting for him and he followed them to the table set in front of the main window. She stood to greet him with a hug and she wore a black cap sleeved dress with black pantyhose. He sat across from her and he ordered a beer hoping that it would help calm his nerves.

"Thank you for coming. I'm so sorry about my behavior at your loft the other night. It was inappropriate and I now see just how happy you are with Elizabeth. She is a great girl." Teddy looked at her shocked and suspicious. She was entirely different today and he needed to know why.

"What made you change your tune?" He asked and she answered quickly.

"I watched you both the other night and everyone could feel how much you both loved each other. She is a beautiful and kind person and you deserve someone like her. I was in a bad place the other night in your apartment. I broke off the engagement about six months ago and I had just returned all of our engagement gifts that day. I'm so sorry that you had to be the brunt of my craziness." Teddy finally relaxed seeing how easy this lunch was going to be. She noticed the bag on the ground that he had brought in with him and he panicked when he thought she would assume it was for her.

"It's for Elizabeth. I'm sorry I didn't mean." She stopped him.

"I didn't think it was for me. Can I see what you got her?" She asked nicely and very interested. Teddy picked up the bag and removed the jewelry to show her. He took out both the bracelet and necklace and handed them to her.

"They're absolutely beautiful." She looked at them in awe and he felt proud of his gifts.

"Thank you. She is obsessed with anchors." He replied before the waiter asked for their order.

The conversation was unusually casual and she finally told him what happened between them and apologized for cheating. It was odd that the apology itself didn't faze him. He couldn't care less about the apology now that he was sitting here with her. They both sat there happy that they were friends again and he kept wishing he hadn't lied to Elizabeth about it. _She probably would have been supportive of this lunch. _They finished talking when Sophie announced she had to get back to work. He stood to hug her before she left when she kissed him on the lips. Teddy quickly pulled away enraged and confused at her sudden action.

"What the fuck Sophie?" He yelled gaining stares from half of the restaurant.

"I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from." She muttered as she turned to leave. His heart was racing and this day had just turned to shit. He sat back down and ordered another beer before heading back to his office. He was going to drown himself in work to get him to tonight with Elizabeth.

* * *

Elizabeth sat on the couch after applying for jobs all morning and eating the lunch that she had made. She had been somewhat disappointed that Teddy canceled on lunch but she knew how important these next few months were for his business. Her phone rang and she hoped it was Teddy just checking in but to her surprise it was their friend Caleb.

"Hello."

"Hey, Elizabeth, it's Caleb." He replied.

She laughed. "I know. You do call me from time to time. Whatsup?"

"Would you wanna swing by my office. I have a couple things I need to show you." He asked and she could sense the nervousness in his voice. She had known Caleb since freshman year of high school and they had met in Art class. He was always quiet but when he did talk it always something of value. They had grown close by sophomore year and her group of friends easily adopted him. He had recently landed a job at the local talk show for Seattle working on the graphics.

"Shit. Did I make the worst dressed list again?" She asked joking helping to ease the conversation.

"No, I'll show you once you're here. I gotta run though, just come up to my office." Caleb hung up and Elizabeth sat confused. "Well, takes care of my boredom until Teddy gets home." She spoke out loud to herself as she got up and threw some clothes on. She was undecided on whether or not she wanted a cab or drive to Caleb's office but considering it was almost 5 at night she knew traffic would be chaotic. She called a cab and told them the name of Caleb's building. She called Teddy's phone to have it go to voicemail and she left him a message saying she was meeting Caleb. The elevator ride took a while as there were several people on the elevator and she was already ready to leave. Her anti-social tendencies during winter were starting to emerge when Caleb met her at the elevator and a couple of people just stared at her. Pity is what they looked at her with and it was beginning to piss her off. Caleb led her into his office and she jumped on his couch cross legged ready for whatever he had to throw at her. She had decided it was between yesterday's outfit or the picture they had of her bringing the garbage down last week.

"We don't usually do this but I begged them because you are a very good friend of mine. We were sent pictures about two hours ago of Teddy and a blonde woman eating lunch dated today. They don't look good Elizabeth. We're running the story tonight and there is a tabloid coming out tomorrow." Elizabeth's heart dropped when he put the tabloid down in front of her. The headline read _Another Grey Scandal: Teddy Grey cheating on his still recovering Girlfriend. _There was a picture of them two and then three pictures of Teddy and Sophie. You couldn't see her face in any of them but Elizabeth knew. There was one of them both enjoying lunch, one of Teddy giving her jewelry, and another one of them kissing. Her breathing grew rapid as she struggled to contain her emotions. Caleb sat by her and rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry. None of us thought he would ever do this." He told her as he held her hand. The tears welled in her eyes and she held her breath to see if that would keep them from falling but to no avail. The tears fell and if she were with anyone else, she would have been embarrassed.

"This will be all out by tonight then?" She was able to get out between sobs.

"Yes. We will be running the story in half an hour. I wish I had some control but I don't. Elizabeth shook her head at him.

"It's okay. I understand." She cleared her throat as she gathered her strength to calm herself. _Inhale. _She breathed in deeply. _Exhale. _She released the breath and finally gained some control.

"Can I make a statement to you?" Elizabeth turned to him with the only plan she could think of.

"Um. Yes. I can give it to them." He looked at her confused. "You don't have to answer so quickly."

"I need to know that you will back me up on this because I am going to lie." She looked at her good friend with pleading eyes and he grabbed both of her hands. "I'll do anything for you. You know that."

"Okay. Type this." She watched him stand and sit at the computer. She took a deep breath. "Mr. Grey and I amicably ended our relationship prior to today's incident. We have remained good friends and roommates as I am still looking for a more permanent residence. He knows how encouraging I have been about him dating and I am happy to see these pictures." She stopped and looked at him with watery eyes and despair.

"You know you just broke up with him right now? You don't have to make this decision right now." He told her and she could feel his pity.

"If I don't get ahead of this, it will ruin him. He is going to be known as the guy that cheated on the girl who took a bullet for him. That's what they have been publishing about that story. His reputation will be done and I'm pretty sure it's not good for his business." She rambled as she tried to compose herself.

"Why do you care? He is cheating on you. Feed him to the wolves." Caleb yelled in frustration.

"I care because I love him. I am beyond pissed at him right now but not enough to let this ruin everything he's worked for. Run the statement. Please." She begged him.

"Okay. Get ahold of yourself though because if this is what you're trying to sell, you can't go out there looking like he cheated." Caleb printed out the statement and had her sign it. Elizabeth sat there and pulled out her pocket mirror to clean herself up. Her heart was breaking and within the hour she was a single woman. She stood and gave Caleb a hug.

"Thank you for this. Can you call our group of friends who were all at the celebration dinner and tell them what's going on?" She felt bad to keep asking him for favors.

"Yeah, of course." She smiled at him and left. As she walked through the rest of the office, she smiled at everyone to make their story more believable. She hit the outside sidewalk breeze and she started walking to nowhere specific but a bar. A bar was where she was heading; to a place that hopefully no one knew of her. Her phone began to ring and she shut it off and threw it back in her purse.

* * *

Teddy sat at his desk going through applications when he looked up to see the time. 6:15 pm and he knew Elizabeth was probably wondering where he was. He looked at his phone to see she had called and left a voicemail telling him she was meeting with Caleb. _15 more minutes, _he told himself as he returned to the applications when his phone started ringing again.

"Hello." Teddy answered seeing his father's id.

"What the hell is going on Teddy?" His father yelled at him.

"Uh. Woah. What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"Have you seen the entertainment story for the local news yet? Turn your T.V on." Christian demanded and Teddy could hear the anger in his father's voice. He turned the T.V on in his office as they had just returned from a commercial break and he listened.

"Thank you for joining us and here is Amanda with our Entertainment news." The shot then turned to Amanda who had reported on everything about their relationship during the shooting.

"Thank you Jim. Well, our most favorite Seattle couple has officially called it quits. What started out as a cheating scandal when pictures emerged of Teddy Grey and a mystery blonde enjoying a lunch date today quickly turned into confirmation of a breakup." Teddy sat up quickly in his chair confused and his heart began to race.

"What the fuck?" He uttered to himself forgetting that his father was still on the phone. He continued to listen when they showed the photos and they looked bad. One looked like he was giving Sophie jewelry and the one where she had kissed him. _She fucking set me up. That's why she was being so nice but why are they so sure that he and Elizabeth had broken up? _

"Elizabeth Carmicheal issued a statement with our local news station first stating, 'Mr. Grey and I amicably ended our relationship prior to today's incident. We have remained good friends and roommates as I am still looking for a more permanent residence. He knows how encouraging I have been about him dating and I am happy to see these pictures.' Well Teddy, It looks like the ex gives a stamp of approval to the mystery blonde. Although we are sad to see this couple split, at least we won't be seeing a knock out battle all over Seattle. I'm Amanda and that is our Entertainment News for tonight." Teddy felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Why the fuck would she say that?" He yelled to his father.

"Because she's a smart girl and did damage control which judging from the pictures, you are damn lucky. I have already called the family from the night before to back up this story. I'm sure she has taken care of the group of friends from the other night. Teddy, how could you do that to her?" His father's tone changed at the last question.

"It's not what it looks like. I bought that jewelry for Elizabeth and she kissed me. I pushed her away immediately." He rambled at his father as he was now hyperactive with fear and anger.

"Your mother and I will meet you at your loft. I'll also call our publicist to meet us there too. The press is going to want a statement from you also. Teddy, you better call Elizabeth. You both have a lot of shit you're going to have to figure out." His father hung up and Teddy paced the floor of his office. He dialed Elizabeth's number as it went straight to voicemail. He kept calling for a half hour and left ten voicemails begging her to call him back as he tried to explain the situation. "Fuck!" he screamed as he threw his phone at the chair. He sat down in his chair, breathing with anger, before getting up and heading home.

* * *

Elizabeth walked for about an hour and a half before she finally grew tired of the cold. She looked at her surroundings shocked that she had walked into her old neighborhood. The buildings were falling apart and graffiti decorated the walls. _Really, this is where you came? _She asked herself as she saw a bar across the way. "Bingo." Elizabeth crossed the road and entered the bar as everyone turned and stared. It was a run-down dive bar with a pool table and tattered bar stools. She walked up to the bar and sat at the bar stool as she went through her purse for her I.D. "Two shots of tequila please." She told the bartender and saw the T.V running her story. _Great. Fucking Great. _The bartender saw her staring at the T.V when he saw her picture.

"That's you?" He asked shocked.

"Yep. Can I have my shots please and can you change the channel?" She asked him and he slid the shots towards her. The first one went down hard as she felt the warmth travel down her throat and the second one went down better when he finally gave her some limes and salt.

"Keep those coming please." Elizabeth sat and looked around to see some firefighters sitting at a table and two women hitting on the group looking ridiculous in short dresses and their cleavage hanging out.

"I know your mother. Alice Carmicheal?" The bartender stood in front of her and she knew it was a mistake coming back here but this was the only place no one would care about her drama.

"Probably. You're a bartender." She shot back and he quickly learned that the topic was a sensitive one.

After the fifth shot, she switched to beer knowing that someone would be dragging her ass out in ten minutes if she kept that up. She was feeling good, drunk, and distracted enough to forget about Teddy. The people in her mind that usually stopped her from doing stupid shit were off duty tonight. She had forgotten that her tolerance was much lower than before considering she hadn't really drank in three months.

"Let's put some music on in here." She slurred as she went to the T.V looking machine sitting in the corner. She inserted her dollar and did a random tune and she started to dance in the middle of a bar by herself. Her eyes closed and she moved her body to the music and when she opened them an older gentlemen started dancing by her. He looked about sixty and she could tell he was here for an escape too.

"You got good moves old man." Her voice was suddenly high pitched and she was officially drunk. The two women hitting on the firemen joined her and she was getting close. She ordered another beer and her mission was complete. She got what she came for, nothing. The memories she was about to make lost as the black took over.


	21. Chapter 21: Escape

_I have read your reviews and Elizabeth explains more of why she made the decision she did with the statement in the next chapter. I don't even know why I type chapters ahead. I can never keep them to myself for more than a day it seems like. Thank you to everyone again! Enjoy. _

Chapter 21: Escape

Elizabeth woke up to an environment not her own or anyone she knew. She looked down at herself and relief flooded her as she saw she still had all her clothes on. Her head was pounding and she desperately needed to brush her teeth. The mixture of tequila and beer were making her nauseous. She sat up slowly and removed the blanket that was covering her and the smell of cigarettes hit her nose. Her face grimaced as her nausea increased and then she noticed a photo on the end table. It was of her at her high school graduation. _Great. I'm at the home of my own personal stalker. _She thought to herself as she saw a woman walk in. Her heart sank when she turned around.

"Well, you look like shit." She heard her say.

"Mom. What the fuck am I doing here?" Elizabeth's body filled with anxiety. She had forgiven her mother a couple years ago as the anger was just eating her alive but had never confronted her mother about it. They hadn't talked in ten years.

"Benny from the bar called me telling me that you were piss drunk." She answered as she lit a cigarette.

"Can you please not smoke that, I think I'm going to throw up." Elizabeth sat up some more and she swore she felt a ton of liquid move from one end of her brain to the other.

"A Thank you would be nice." She snapped at Elizabeth and all she could do was laugh at her mother's audacity.

"I think you owe me more than helping me one night." Elizabeth replied as she glared at her. She picked up her purse and turned her phone on to see 200 missed calls; most from Teddy and Chelsea and the rest most likely from press. She groaned at the sight of it and shut the screen off.

"I think you owe ME more than a thank you." Alice sat there inhaling her cigarette looking ridiculously judgmental at her daughter.

"Excuse me. What else would I owe you?" Elizabeth always figured that her mother would apologize if they were ever in the same room again. She never wanted to have another relationship with her mother but she would give her forgiveness to resolve their issues for them both.

"An apology for all the shit you put me through." Rage filled Elizabeth's body as she heard what her mother said and she scared herself with how angry she felt. Her hands turned to fists as she tried to keep her anger under control and she knew that she didn't feel like getting in a battle royale with her right now. She stood and pointed at her mother ready to verbally tear her to shreds, she would never let her mother rile her up to the point that she would hit her even if she wanted to.

"An apology? You have got to be fucking kidding me. You beat me with a frying pan one day because you thought I shut the door too hard. You walked in on a man raping me and he ran so fast thinking you were going to kill him but you just ran after him begging him to come back like the weak woman you are." Her heart was racing and her teeth were clenched as she continued. "I used to despise how weak you were and how desperate you were for those men and the drugs but now I am so grateful. I thank God every day that you realized just how weak you were that you couldn't raise me anymore and you called Aunt Harriet. I hope that the guilt you will eventually feel about putting a child through that kind of evil will haunt you in this life and the next." Her mother stood as they were face to face and Elizabeth laughed at her.

"What? Are you going to hit me? I'm no longer weaker or smaller than you. If you dare touch me I will lay your ass out." Her mother hesitated and Elizabeth sensed her fear. She grabbed her purse, threw her shoes on, and walked out of her mother's disgusting apartment. She heard her mother follow her and stop right outside the door as she walked down the hallway.

"I'm weak. Your boyfriend cheated on you after you took a bullet for him." She yelled and it took everything Elizabeth had not to respond. _She doesn't deserve one._ She told herself and she hit the outside streets desperate for a cab or anyone. It was 23 years of rage that filled her body and she felt so angry that she ever thought of offering her mother forgiveness. She was completely done with giving second chances and she was done with giving to everyone else. Her phone rang again and it was Chelsea.

"Hello." She answered needing to hear her best friend's voice.

"What the hell Elizabeth? We've all been worried sick about you. Where are you?" Chelsea sounded beyond worried and guilt was another added emotion Elizabeth now felt.

"I blacked out last night and I woke up in my mother's apartment." She admitted to hear Chelsea gasp.

"What? Are you okay? Did she touch you?" Chelsea questioned now sounding pissed.

Elizabeth started sobbing. The past two days finally hit her.

Teddy sat and finally heard Chelsea talking to Elizabeth. He stood quickly to move closer but Chelsea moved away from him. He felt exhausted as they both had not slept at all and he had to endure two hours of Chelsea yelling at him. It took all his restraint not to kick her out but he knew she would be the first one to talk to Elizabeth so he needed her here and she wanted to stay just in case Elizabeth came back. He heard Chelsea ask if someone touched her and now he definitely needed answers. He watched her hang up the phone.

"Is she okay?" He asked desperately needing answers.

"No. She is not okay. She woke up at her mother's apartment this morning after blacking out last night; the same damn woman that did nothing but torture her for thirteen years. One of us should have been there with her for that!" She spat at him as she got her purse and walked out. "I'm going to pick her up. She can call you if and when she's ready."

Teddy felt beyond angry at himself and he wanted to destroy Sophie. He felt his mother's hand rub his back and it did nothing to soothe him. He knew this was going to ruin them and yet he had hope because of her statement she had given. She still cared about him. He grabbed another cup of coffee not caring that it was his third and he sat down by his father.

"She still cares right? I mean because of the statement." Teddy looked at his father with hopelessness.

Christian took a deep breath and looked at his son. "Obviously she still cares about you and she still loves you. Those kind of emotions don't end in minutes or overnight. Her statement has saved you, your business, and your reputation. It doesn't mean that she's not upset and it doesn't mean that you two will still be together. I hope to god you two survive this but you should start preparing yourself for her leaving. I'm sure she's extremely hurt right now and if she dealt with her mother this morning than you might have to wait a bit until she's ready to deal with you." Teddy looked at his father pissed that he couldn't just once tell him what he wanted to hear. His mother would have, in this moment, try to care for his feelings.

"Why couldn't you just make me feel better and tell me that we have a good chance?" He questioned.

"You fucked up Teddy. You lied to not only Elizabeth but also to us about Sophie. This could have all been prevented if we were all informed. You need to grow up and get your shit together Teddy because Elizabeth and your mother and I cannot keep saving you. I'm beginning to think that we have saved you too much." He spoke sternly to Teddy and Teddy stood in anger.

"I don't need your shit right now either. I'm going to lie down." He stomped his way upstairs and was fully aware he reacted like a child but truly didn't care.

Elizabeth waited on the building steps as she saw Chelsea's car coming for her. Chelsea got out and hugged her as Elizabeth sobbed into her embrace.

"Shhhh. It's alright. Come on, let's go." Chelsea whispered to her and Elizabeth got in her car.

Elizabeth sat and explained what happened last night and what she woke up to. Chelsea looked horrified when she told her that Alice had expected an apology from her. She then told her the rest.

"You told her you would lay her ass out?" Chelsea looked at her amused.

"Yes." Elizabeth answered to see Chelsea start laughing.

"I'm sorry but I wish I would have been there to see her face." She got out between laughs. Elizabeth began to laugh also as she remembered the fear in her mother's face and with just all the craziness that her life had come to call normal.

"I can't believe the past two days." Elizabeth sat and watched the buildings they were passing. "You can take me back to the loft."

"You don't have to deal with him yet." Elizabeth could tell the idea pissed Chelsea off.

"I would rather deal with it now than have to think about it all day." She replied and Chelsea didn't respond; she just drove.

They drove into the parking garage of her loft and they both sat there exhausted. Elizabeth turned to Chelsea.

"Go ahead and go home. Take a nap before you work tonight. I'll call you before you head in." Elizabeth told Chelsea and she just hugged her. "Thank you for being here for me." She whispered to Chelsea in their embrace.

"You would have done the same for me." She replied as Elizabeth got out of the car. She took a deep breath before deciding to take the stairs up. She opened the door to be met with Christian and Ana sitting on the couch.

"Hi." She smiled at them. Ana got up and hugged her.

"We are so glad you're okay. We were just going to head out. Call us if you need anything." Ana told her and Elizabeth could tell she was hesitant towards her. Christian then hugged her. "Thank you. He's upstairs sleeping." He whispered to her and she knew he was referring to her statement.

"Thank you both." She replied before setting her stuff down and heading up the stairs. She was too exhausted and too hungover to have the conversation now. Teddy was fast asleep in their bed when she walked past him to the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth. The water felt so good and to rid the clothes that smelled like her mother's apartment was freeing. She stood and cried in the water using the façade of the water drops to hide her tears. Her heart hurt as she remembered the pictures Caleb showed her. He had cancelled their lunch and lied to meet with her and to think of how victorious Sophie must feel right now hurt her even more. She grabbed a nightgown and threw it on feeling even more exhausted after her hot shower. She threw her hair up in a bun and lay down in bed next to Teddy knowing she needed to sleep before talking to him and as angry as she was at him, having him next to her comforted her.

Teddy woke feeling too warm as he rolled over to see Elizabeth asleep next to him. He couldn't believe she had come back and that she was sleeping next to him. Her eyes showed signs that she had been crying and God he felt so guilty. This beautiful woman who has done nothing but cater to him was beside him hurting because of him. He could tell she was passed out and he brushed her face with his fingers as he just stared at her. Her eyelashes were fluttering as she slept and he just kissed her forehead and moved her so she was on his chest. He lay there staring at the ceiling praying that this wasn't the end for them and that this wouldn't be the last time he would hold her. He never intentionally meant to hurt her and he thought of everything he would have to say to make her see that. Elizabeth snuggled her head more into his chest and the idea that they both lay there as if nothing happened relieved him enough for him to fall back asleep.


	22. Chapter 22: Revenge

_This would be the end of Book 1 or Part 1. I will continue with this story but just with Chapter 23 next. I am also giving you two chapters today. Merry Christmas. :) Actually, I knew that I would get harrassed by the hopeless romantics if I just left them with this chapter SO please read the next one. **THEY ARE NOT OVER**_Promise. I do want to say that if you were looking for a story that was all flowers and unicorns, this is not it. I don't believe in love stories like that and I will never write one that way. Enjoy the chapter. As always, let me know what you think.

Chapter 22: Revenge

"Hi." Teddy heard Elizabeth whisper as she raised her head off of his chest. He had woken before her again and he turned the T.V on not wanting to let go of her.

"Hey." He looked at her smiling and admiring how cute she looked when she was just waking up. She rubbed her eyes and he could tell she had a headache. He stood and went into the bathroom to get her water and Tylenol. The fact that it was afternoon threw him off because it felt like the next morning already. He gave her the water and Tylenol to see her smile at him and another ounce of hope was added.

"Thank you." Elizabeth told him. She sat there cross legged in bed and she let her hair down to help with her headache a little more.

"I don't really know where to start." He began to have Elizabeth cut him off.

"Okay, I know there is most likely an explanation for the pictures. Sophie is a smart girl and manipulative enough to pull something like that off. I might be naive but I trust you enough to know you love me more than that and I know that if you were going to cheat you wouldn't have done it in the front window of a restaurant. You're smarter than that." Teddy looked at her shocked and with guilt that she didn't believe the pictures. "I knew when I saw the jewelry that was anchors that it was for me. What bothers me the most is the fact that you lied to me about the lunch. I would have been in complete support of you going to lunch with her. Both of you needed to get your shit figured out so that it didn't disrupt your father and her father's relationship. Also, the kissing picture." Elizabeth looked him in the eyes the entire time she talked and her maturity and lack of dramatics always amazed him.

"I know I shouldn't have lied. It was because in all of my past relationships I would have had to. I kind of just reverted back to that. She kissed me out of nowhere before she left. It was a nice conversation. She apologized and had nothing but complementary things to say about you." He watched Elizabeth smirk at what he said.

"I never doubted her intelligence." She spat out.

"Are we just going to let her win like this? You're statement did just that?" He knew he shouldn't have felt angry but for her to just release a statement without talking to him frustrated him.

She scoffed. "You let her win when you lied to me. I did nothing but protect you and your business and myself. Do you know how people look at you when you are publicly humiliated? When I walked onto Caleb's floor, they all looked at me with pity. It was disgusting the way that they all stared and you would have been crucified in the media. Not only that but who would want to do business with a guy who cheated on his girlfriend that was just shot and in a coma less than two months ago." Teddy sat there ashamed that he had played right into Sophie's hand. He would do anything at this point to ruin her.

"Did you release a statement yet?" She asked him completely surprising him with the question.

"No, I haven't." He replied wondering why she would even ask.

"Okay, well I have a couple things I want you to say. I want you to out Sophie." He looked at her and he knew his father didn't want him to start talking negatively about her in the media.

"My father doesn't want me to talk negatively about her." He thought Elizabeth would laugh at the comment because he so badly wanted to. He wanted to tell the media how much of a bitch she was and how SHE was a cheater.

"I know he doesn't. It would put him in the middle along with Taylor. All I ask that you put in there is that Miss Sophie Taylor is a mutual friend of ours that misinterpreted your lunch and that you were showing her jewelry that you had ordered for me weeks ago to ask for her opinion." Teddy didn't think that was negative at all. It simply stated the facts and he put his trust in her that she would take care of it.

"Okay. Whatever you want." He finally gave in shrugging his shoulders just thankful that she had been so understanding.

"Thank you." He watched her take a deep breath in and look at him with tears gathering in her eyes. _Shit._

"I love you but I can't do this anymore. I think you have used the crutch of me working on myself to better this relationship that you failed to do it on your end. I don't doubt your love for me at all but I do think that our differing upbringings play a part here. I have learned to not blame my past for any of my decisions. When I make one I hold myself fully accountable for that decision and the consequences it may bring. You haven't learned this yet. You blamed Sophie and your past relationships for our problems when in all reality she didn't make you lie to me. You made that decision and although our pasts may influence our decisions, ultimately if it ends badly you take responsibility. Sometimes two people can work so well together and the outside factors make it impossible." By the time she had reached this point in her speech, Teddy could feel nothing but anger, and Elizabeth's tears had broken the barrier.

"I don't want you to hate me for this." She got out in between sobs.

"You're giving up on us!" He yelled at her and he stood to start pacing the room.

"You are not ready for us. We always thought it would be me that would be the downfall of this relationship. It was an easy out if we wanted to so I know it makes you angry to hear that you could have possibly played a part in this." She screamed at him and he could tell she was going to fight fire with fire.

"I apologized!"

"And what? You don't always get what you want Teddy. The world isn't always in your favor. Thank you for proving my point." She finally stood and he knew she was bringing them both to a level playing field.

"So, you're just going to leave after everything we have been through?" Teddy felt hurt that she would give up so easily. This was her contribution to the break up.

"I feel that I am only going to keep getting hurt because you haven't grown up yet. It might be selfish to feel that way but I don't care anymore." He watched her anger and her frustration emerge as she wiped her tears. She stood there almost in defeat and all he could do was grab her and kiss her. He could feel her try and push away but he held on and it only took seconds for her to relax and kiss him. It quickly turned into desperation for them both as they couldn't get enough of each other. She kissed him hard and he picked her up as she wrapped her legs around him. She pulled his shirt off and then pulled off her own as he pinned her against the wall. She was insatiable with her kisses and she kept him right at her mouth. He couldn't stand it anymore as he turned and lay her on the bed and pulled his pants off. This was different and he couldn't tell why but she was different. He pushed her panties to the side before he entered her making her moan. He thrust harder into her and she kept him still right at her mouth as if that was all she wanted. She met him at each thrust and finally stopped kissing him to throw her head back in pleasure and orgasm. The sight of her was his undoing as he found his release inside her. They both lay breathless and he could tell she was exhausted. She was so disconnected from him during and even now that it scared him but maybe this was all that they needed to fix them. He pulled her to his chest and he could tell she was too weak to do anything else. They both lay there in silence and he pulled the sheet up over them as he felt her fall asleep. He held her tight now in full confidence that they were fine; she would never leave him.

It was pitch black in their bedroom when Teddy woke up and he knew they must have slept for a long time. _Good, _he thought because they both needed it and he hoped it would make Elizabeth more receptive to what he was going to tell her. He rolled over to see nothing. She wasn't there but a note lying beside him. He turned his bedside lamp on and picked it up to see her handwriting and what looked like tear drops on the paper. His heart sank as he read it,

_Teddy, _

_I didn't know what else to do. I will always love you. Please give me some time. _

_Elizabeth_

He stared at the note in awe, with defeat, and with confusion. He didn't know how to feel and he stood to look in the closet. The majority of her things were still there but he could tell she had taken some things to leave with. He picked up his phone and called her only to get straight to her voicemail. The bed caught him as he sat with loss and sadness and looking at his empty bed made it worse. He couldn't sleep there anymore, not without her. He looked at the time to see it was 2am and he felt it was coincidental that he used to wake up at this exact time feeling the same way two months ago. This time was different though, he truly felt that he hadn't lost her yet. He still had hope that they were going to be together but getting to that point was going to be hell. She would always come back to him.

It had been three weeks to the day that Elizabeth left Teddy sleeping in bed. She sat in the makeup chair with people's hands in her face and just pictured him. It calmed her even though she would like to cry at the thought of him but today was about her thanking Seattle for their support. Teddy had released the statement that she asked him to and she knew the "mutual friend" comment would be Sophie's demise. Elizabeth had become a favorite of Seattle's as they waited for her to wake up after the shooting. She had received a lot of mail sending prayers and thoughts while she was in her coma and their love for her had grown since she had woken up. When Teddy released his comment she had heard that immediately Sophie began receiving hate mail and was being ripped to shreds on the internet. It was exactly what Elizabeth had expected and she hadn't felt one ounce of guilt about it. The media became the dirty hands while her and Teddy just sat back and watched. Today, she was going to show Sophie just how strong she truly was by going on their local talk show and playing exactly what she was: Seattle's sweetheart. The makeup artists were finally finished and Elizabeth laughed at her reflection noticing how good they were at covering up the bags under her eyes. Chelsea had made her update her look last week with highlights and they really did brighten up her face but it also highlighted her weary look. Elizabeth tapped at her cheeks to prepare herself. She was going to have to put on a show today and not look like the Debbie downer she felt like.

Teddy sat at his desk with Jake as they both went through some of the new work their copywriters had given them. Jake had graduated and Teddy had asked him to become a partner in Grey Advertising which he quickly accepted. Jake was also his spy with Elizabeth considering she was staying at Chelsea's although he said he hadn't seen her in a week and Chelsea wasn't talking. Teddy had buried himself in work since the night Elizabeth had left him. He only called her for three days before giving up and Chelsea had come to retrieve her things from their loft. It had been three weeks of hell and it was only getting worse as he promised himself he wouldn't spy on her. He desperately sat there and wanted to look up why she wasn't working yet, where she had been for the past week, and why she was doing an interview on a talk show today. She was the most private person he had ever met besides having a Facebook and Sophie had already been vilianized by the media. He and Jake sat in silence as they both stared at the new artwork when Teddy noticed the time. He grabbed the remote and turned the T.V on waiting for his first glimpse of her since that night. They had already done the roundtable discussion and had panned to the three chairs with the cohosts Chad and Angela when he saw her. She wore a red short sleeved dress that hit her mid-thigh and black pumps with a large gold necklace. Her hair seemed lighter and she looked fucking beautiful. He just sat and stared at her especially her smile. _She looks so god damn happy. _He thought to himself as the applause of the audience finally died down and he sat and listened.

"Well it was a wonderful surprise when Elizabeth Carmichael finally agreed to join our show. She is Seattle's sweetheart that we have all fallen in love with since she first snatched up Teddy Grey. Thank you so much for being here. Now, please tell us how you're doing with the breakup and Sophie Taylor." Angela asked her and Teddy laughed at the sweetheart comment as he remembered just how naughty she is in bed. He watched Elizabeth smile kindly at her.

"First off, Thank you so much for having me. I watched you guys religiously while I was recovering in the hospital. Second, I'm doing as well as anyone else does with a breakup. As I have said before it was an amicable breakup." Teddy laughed at that comment and he wanted to be pissed that she was lying but it was his fault in the first place. "Teddy is an easy person to love and care about so I hold no ill feelings towards him and we have a lot of mutual friends that have offered us both love and support." Elizabeth replied with much more pep in her voice than he was used to. It was comical watching her act that way because he knew she was probably hating every minute of it.

"So, there is no chance of you two getting back together?" Chad, the other cohost asked her and Teddy just listened intently.

"I didn't say that. Right now we are focusing on ourselves. I can't tell you with complete certainty what the future holds for us." Elizabeth readjusted in her chair and Teddy felt the need to do the same thing because watching her so confident was giving him a hard on. Jake nudged him from across the desk with approval of her comment.

"She didn't say no." Jake teased him and Teddy just shook his head at him and turned back to the T.V.

"So was Sophie Taylor the reason you broke up? She was a mutual friend of yours from our understanding which that kiss was a betrayal for you then?" He watched Elizabeth smile and he knew this was the question she had been waiting for.

"Sophie was a mutual friend of ours. I did feel a sense of betrayal considering that Teddy and I had her over for dinner and she was at my celebration dinner. Do I believe that she deserves everything that has happened since, No. Like I said earlier, Teddy is an easy person to want to kiss so it doesn't shock me that she did." The audience laughed at her response and Teddy was becoming pissed. She was doing everything to give him hope and he couldn't tell if she was being serious or not.

"Do you forgive her?" Chad asked again and Teddy could tell he wanted to fuck her too just by the way he was looking at her.

"If she were to apologize, I would." She replied with an award winning smile and she had won over Seattle again.

"I would like to take a second to thank the city of Seattle for all of their support in regards to my recovery and this breakup. I have read the wonderful mail and feel so grateful for your prayers and thoughts. Thank you." She said with complete sincerity.

"We are just so glad that you woke after such a horrific experience. Now, there have been reports that you have been in Portland for the past week looking at houses. Is there something we need to know?" Teddy sat forward in his chair at that question and he saw they caught Elizabeth off guard.

"Um. Yes. I have just accepted a job at Portland's hospital and this past week I was looking for homes." Teddy grabbed the remote, shut the T.V off and threw it.

"What the fuck?" He screamed and he ran his hands up and down his face before putting them through his hair.

"Sorry. I didn't know. It makes sense as to why Chelsea's been an emotional mess lately." Jake told him with the intention to comfort.

"You mean Chelsea's not moving with her? She's going by herself?" Teddy asked confused.

"I mean I don't think so. She loves the hospital she's at." Jake replied not knowing what else he could say.

"Take care of this for me. I'm going over there." Teddy stormed out of his office with one mission: get her back and get her to stay.

Elizabeth's heart was racing as she exited the stage. That was not at all the way she wanted Teddy to find out. She let out a sigh of frustration and took out her phone. She dialed his number only to wait out the rings until his voicemail answered. She kept calling him the whole drive back to Chelsea's only to be greeted with his car in the driveway and she saw him sitting on the front steps waiting for her. She took a deep breath to prepare herself and walked over to sit next to him. He didn't say anything but look at her with sadness and her heart sank even deeper as she tried to fight off the feeling of tears.

"I'm sorry that you had to find out that way. I was going to tell you myself." She turned towards him and he wouldn't look at her. He just kept his head down and stared at some blades of grass he was picking at.

"Why are you leaving?" She could hear the sadness in his voice.

"No. There is too much pain here for me in Seattle; my childhood and the shooting and then all this media. I have told you before that I wasn't made for a life like this." She watched him look at her with anger.

"So you just decided today that we are officially done. You know I can't leave the city, my business is here. You didn't even give us a second chance or try to work this out." Oh God, Elizabeth just wanted to grab his face and take his pain. She would carry it for the both of them if she could because seeing him heartbroken almost broke her.

"Are you trying to force me to leave here? Is this a manipulative tactic to see if I'll follow you?" He questioned her attackingly.

"No, of course not. I can't be in this city anymore." She shot back at his accusation of being manipulative.

"Don't leave. Please." He grabbed her hands and he begged her.

"I'm sorry. I already signed the papers for a home yesterday. It's done." Teddy forcefully pulled his hands out of hers.

"But we both love each other." She watched him look at her with confusion and she knew this is where they were different.

"See, this is where we differ. I don't know if it's our different childhoods but I don't believe love conquers all. I do believe that timing, who we surround ourselves with, and just our current attitudes hold more power than most think. It's the outside circumstances that can ruin a perfect thing. I don't know how we could ever work if I'm not happy. I'm not happy here in Seattle and I would resent you if you made me stay. Are you happy here?"

"Fucking fine then." Elizabeth watched him storm off to his car and turn back to look at her when he got there. She could only see anger from him and she knew she had made the right decision. He just wasn't ready.


	23. Chapter 23: Times Have Changed

**PART TWO OR BOOK TWO?** _Either way, another chapter has started at new phases of both of their lives. Please enjoy and let me know your thoughts. Thank you to all those who have responded in any way. _

Chapter 23: Times Have Changed

_**One Year Later:**_

Teddy sat in his office on a Monday morning staring out the window not at all prepared for the week when Jake walked in.

"Stranger. I have been calling you all weekend to do something. Where have you been?" Teddy asked him and Jake looked at him and sat down.

"I went with Chelsea to visit Elizabeth for the weekend." Teddy sat back in his chair. He knew that it was the first time Jake had gone with Chelsea. She never trusted him to go without telling Teddy details and he figured she just quit caring now. Teddy had refused to search anything on Elizabeth when she had left and it killed him not to but he knew it would be his downfall if he started to stalk her. He was friends with her on Facebook and he limited his stalking to that; although, she rarely posted. He absolutely despised her for the first three months after she left before his father convinced him to talk to a therapist. It was four months of therapy before he learned just how entitled he was and five to realize he still loved Elizabeth. She hadn't tried to contact him and he had only traveled to Portland once to visit the college that his mother graduated from. She was the largest donor and they had to attend the donor's dinner. He remembered trying to follow his therapist's advice to talk to her to gain closure but when he showed up at the hospital, he couldn't even get in to see her. She was busy and she worked Labor and Delivery which he couldn't get into at all. He gave up after that giving fate the win it needed.

"Oh. How did that go?" He tried to ask nonchalantly.

Jake laughed knowing how badly Teddy wanted information. "Well, she lives in Scappoose. Can you believe that name? It's right outside of Portland about a half hour. It's an old home but she's got like ten acres of land with it. It's got an awesome mountain view and we rode four wheelers around some trails. It was a lot of fun. She asked about you?" Teddy tried hard to hide his excitement.

"She did? Huh." He replied.

Jake just shook his head. "Yeah, she and I went on a run because we all know Chelsea doesn't. She just asked how you were doing." Teddy stared at him.

"What did you say?" Teddy put all of the artwork down to become more engaged in the conversation.

"I told her you were working a lot and that the business was doing well." Jake sat and smirked at Teddy.

"Well I came to talk to you about something. What do you think about putting in an office in Portland?" Jake asked Teddy eyeing him to sense his reaction.

"Why?" Teddy replied even though he had already been looking at advertising agencies to buy out and office space.

"Chelsea has decided that she would like to move by Elizabeth. There is a house that she has fallen in love with there and I would like to move with her. The only way I could do that is if we put an office in Portland." Teddy watched his cousin pleadingly telling him how much he needed that office so he could move. He was jealous, plain and simple, at how easy Chelsea and Jake's relationship had been and now they were going to be by Elizabeth. It didn't surprise him though because Jake's family wasn't as fucked up as his. Although, they weren't as rich and he had become a fan of the saying- more money, more problems. This could be what would bring them back together but could he really leave Seattle. _You would do anything to win her back. _

"Uh, I'll look into it today and we can go look at some office buildings." Teddy told him excitedly. This is exactly what he needed.

"We're going there this weekend again. Chelsea wants to see the house again before she signs the papers if you would like to come with." Teddy just smiled. Of course he would like to go with but he couldn't seem desperate.

"I think I can clear my schedule but I'll check with Andy to see what my weekend looks like." Jake stood and turned to leave as Teddy sat back and laughed to himself. He couldn't wait for this week to be over because he was given an opportunity to see her.

Elizabeth stretched her neck by moving her head to each side. This shift had been brutal with the death of a cancer patient and the admission of a child abuse patient. She was exhausted from working a double and cleaning before that making the house ready for Jake and Chelsea. It was finally Friday morning but it felt like Friday night because she had worked an overnight. She couldn't wait to head down to the coffee shop down the block for their coffee cake and caramel latte. The oncoming shift emerged from the elevators and Elizabeth prepared herself to leave. She read them her shift notes before getting her purse and heading downstairs. It was a beautiful April day; seventy degrees and sunny and she felt bad that she was going to go home and sleep her day away until tonight. The walk felt good though with the sun shining on her face and the bare streets in front of her. She loved Portland, the people and the feel, especially that coffee cake. She walked into the coffee shop and stood in line she rummaged through her purse for her wallet. As she was looking, she smelled his cologne a sweet and spicy smell mix. _Teddy. That's Teddy's cologne. _She thought as the memories flooded her and she tried to push them aside by distracting herself with the menu. The smell became intoxicating when she looked at the man in front of her. He had the same color hair as Teddy but he stood differently than Teddy; more confidently and what would he be doing here anyway. She figured she had nothing to lose simply by saying his name. If he didn't turn around then she was just mistaken.

"Teddy?" Elizabeth spoke out loud as she stared at the guy in front of her. He wore a grey dress pants with a white button up.

Teddy heard someone speak his name which was odd but he chose to turn around anyways when he did he was greeted with Elizabeth. She was in lavender scrubs with her hair pulled back and wore a surprised expression. God, she looked so good and the way she smiled at him and ran her fingers through her bangs awoke him from the despair of losing her. Her shock amused him.

"Elizabeth. Hey. How are you?" Teddy stood admiring her in scrubs. It was what he always imagined for her and she looked fucking good in them.

"I'm good. I just got off work. What are you doing here?" She looked at him confused and couldn't help but smile at how nervous she was acting. He watched her fingers curl around the bottoms of her scrub top with anxiety. This was probably the first time he had been more confident than her.

"I have meetings with some advertising agencies along with some building showings. Jake wants to move with Chelsea and the only way he can do that is if we open an office here." He explained to see her eyes widen with either surprise or excitement- he couldn't tell yet.

"Oh. You're coming for dinner then?" She asked him and he looked at her confused. Elizabeth laughed as she noticed how perplexed he looked.

"They didn't invite you." She trailed off at the end. "Um. They are staying with me this weekend if you are interested? Or at least for dinner? I'm sorry. They didn't tell me that you were coming." Teddy could sense the guilt she was feeling and as much as he wanted to stay with her, he knew that it was too soon for them.

"I'll take you up on dinner but I'll stick to my hotel to sleep in. I have an early meeting in the morning." He replied playing it cool.

"Okay. Do you still have my number? I'll text you my address." Teddy pretended to scan through his contacts and he felt bad that he had deleted her number as a way to help himself move on.

"I actually don't. Do you still have mine? Just text me the address if you do." He got out before the person began to ask him for his order. He knew that comment would drive her crazy.

"I do. I'll text you." Her brown eyes looked up at him and he felt their lost chemistry warm his heart; among other places.

"I'll see you tonight." Teddy grabbed his coffee and walked out memorizing everything about her. It was the first time he had seen her in a year and she looked astonishing; different but so damn good. He walked to his first meeting with a big grin on his face.

Elizabeth left the coffee shop in shock and all nerves. Teddy was coming over tonight and as much as she had done to purge him, he pulled her right back in. _That fucking smile and, _she groaned in frustration. _His muscles and he looked so good in that white button up. Quit it. Stop Stop Stop_, She yelled at herself before letting herself be thrust right back in to her Teddy dream world. _He was different. Older, of course he was older but more mature? Just different. _She made it to her car and began her trip home knowing full well that her nap was going to be short so she could get ready for tonight. The garage door got stuck halfway as she pushed the button but it was enough for Jax to get through.

"Come here buddy." She called her black Labrador and he jumped on her playfully. She led him inside where she got his food and threw some yoga pants and a tank top on. She was too hyped after seeing Teddy and a run would do her good with her nerves. Jax followed her out onto the gravel road and she clipped his leash on. He kept a steady pace and she laughed that his steps were in time with her music. Pandora took over on her iPod and the only thing that kept her running at a fast speed was the thought of Teddy and the many possible outcomes of tonight. _He doesn't have your number._ She was surprised at how much it hurt her feelings that he had deleted it although it wouldn't take much for him to find it again. She had heard that he hated her ever since that day he found out she was leaving and the fact that he had agreed to dinner shocked her. Chelsea would never indulge her questions about Teddy and talking to Jake last weekend was the most information she had gotten about him. The tabloids rarely spoke of him or at least the days that she looked. The run had worn her out even more to the point where her thoughts no longer revolved around Teddy. She took a shower and lay down in bed closing her eyes in exhaustion.

She awoke late as there was only two hours before everyone would be here. She jumped up and went into her bathroom clicking her curling iron on and began her makeup routine. Her sweats came off as she could only get ready in her underwear and bra and she picked her eye shadow for the night. The mirror shook as she stared into it or she shook; either way, she was a pack full of nerves and she was finding it hard to breathe. She decided to finish putting her foundation on sitting on the cold floor with the cold door at her back. It helped calm her enough to take a breather. _It's just dinner. He'll be leaving in two days. Breathe. _She thought to herself as the cold feeling began to fade. Her legs shook as she stood and she regained her composure enough to finish her hair and makeup. Elizabeth stood at her closet scanning every article of clothing she had making mental notes of outfits she could possibly wear. Casual, too casual, trying too hard, too dressy, were her only thoughts as she stood in confusion. This was only the second time that she had this problem, the first being the time she met Christian and Ana. She blew her bangs up in frustration and put her hand on her hip when she ripped a shirt off the hanger and grabbed the jeans she knew made her ass look amazing. Two, no, probably three times of looking in the mirror and making sure she looked good enough with Jax by her side distracted by his chew toy. "I look that good huh?" She jokingly questioned him with his only response being a look of boredom. "Come on, let's go get dinner ready." He quickly got up and followed her into the kitchen.

Elizabeth prepared and measured out all of her ingredients. She was preparing artichoke and sun-dried tomatoes stuffed chicken breasts with potatoes and now with the pressure of Teddy coming, she cracked open a bottle of wine. The first sip immediately soothed her as she stared at all the food waiting for her to cook it when she heard a knock at the door. _Teddy, oh shit, oh shit. _She rambled to herself as she smoothed her shirt and checked her hair in the hanging mirror in her living room. The door opened and she saw Teddy in jeans, brown belt, and a blue oxford shirt. She imagined just melting on the floor at the sight of him but tried her hardest to be smooth.

"Hey. Come in." She ushered him in and he held out a bottle of wine. "I have actually started already but I'm sure between us four we can do two bottles. I haven't started yet." She yelled to him across the kitchen as he entered.

"I'll help since I'm here." Elizabeth spun around to see Teddy rolling up his sleeves and he walked to the sink to wash his hands. _He was different; more confident and mature and he can cook. _She couldn't do anything but smile at him in awe as he looked at the recipe on her island.

"Looks easy enough." He shrugged and he put the onions in the pan and began to sauté them. She watched him look at Jax and laugh. "That's one good guard dog you have there."

"Are you sure you're Teddy Grey?" She questioned jokingly in surprise of his newfound cooking skills. He laughed so childish like without a care in the world and it soothed her nerves.

"I have changed Elizabeth." He spoke in confidence as he stared at her and then returned to the pan.

_That you have…_


	24. Chapter 24: It's Funny How Things Work

_I'm giving this update because I know I will not be writing again for a couple of days. Enjoy and Merry Christmas to my readers. This was one of the easiest and most fun chapters to write. _

Chapter 24: It's Funny How Things Work

Teddy stood peeling potatoes and he watched Elizabeth stand at the stove and cook. _Damn, those jeans make her ass look good, _he thought as he stared. She wore boot cut jeans, a brown belt, and a tan button up messily tucked in. Her long hair messily put up in a low bun with curled strands falling in her face. She truly was the most beautiful thing he had ever had in his presence and he could tell she was happy. She was more confident than she had been which he didn't even think was possible. A year had done them both well he thought as he peeled the potatoes. He had done a lot of things he thought would impress any woman but in hopes it was her; private cooking lessons, he started running, and he even asked Gail to teach him how to actually care for himself and a home.

"A penny for your thoughts." Elizabeth turned to him and she broke their silence.

"Just admiring this house. It's beautiful." He commented as he looked around. It truly was beautiful. She had kept the original woodwork of the house and it was a house you just felt "home" in.

"Thank you. It's a 1920's bungalow mix although pretty large for one especially for the year. I actually fell in love with the front porch. I always imagined myself sitting on a porch swing so that definitely won me over but the character is what did it for me. The original owner had built it specifically for his wife to every want and desire she had which is why the laundry room is up on the main floor and not in the basement." He watched her speak of her home with such pride.

"Well, it's beautiful." He replied checking his phone to see if Jake had called. He lit the screen when he saw a text message.

**Jake: Dude, not coming. I have a migraine ;) Chelsea doesn't want to drive thinking the motion sickness would make it worse. Enjoy your dinner.**

Teddy smirked inside thankful that Jake was such a quick thinker. He had called him earlier to let him know he was invited for dinner and Jake just laughed.

"Have you checked your phone recently? Jake just texted saying they can't make it." Elizabeth looked up surprised and then ran upstairs. She came back down looking at her phone.

"Oh, I hope he feels better. Thank god you didn't get lost. I would have never known." She shrugged her shoulders at him. "Let's get the potatoes boiled." She grabbed the potatoes and began washing them off before putting them in a pot. He peeled two more and came up behind her to wash them off. She stilled in front of him but quickly went back to what she was doing. He could smell the coconut scent of her hair and he knew he had to pull away when she moved her head forward.

"You got a tattoo?" He asked shocked as he looked at the back of her neck.

"Yea, a couple months ago actually. I have two. One there and one on my wrist." A Chinese symbol sat on the back of her neck and she moved her sleeve up to show him the phrase "Be Present" written in cursive on her wrist.

"What does the one on your neck mean?" He asked as he ran his finger over it giving him chills just from the touch. He watched her squirm in front of him before answering. "It's the Chinese symbol for love. The Chinese believed that you should always yearn for love. It reminds me not to be afraid of it." She replied and he closed his eyes as he listened to her speak. Her voice always had a calming sense about it.

He pulled away and grabbed his glass of wine. Jax began to whine and she bent down to pet him.

"The chicken is done so were just waiting for the potatoes to cook. I'm going to take Jax out if you want to sit out front for a bit." He followed Jax who followed Elizabeth as she stepped out onto the front porch. Jax took off in front of them and he stood against the pillar by the front steps while she sat in the porch swing.

"I've never seen stars like this before. I mean I have gone on vacation but these are much brighter and with the silence, you can see them better." Teddy saw Elizabeth smile at his comment.

"I know. I absolutely love it out here." She pushed the swing back and brought her legs up on the swing. He understood why she loved it out here although it gave him a heart attack at the thought of her being out here all alone.

He stood and watched Jax run around the front yard before running around to the side. Elizabeth stood and called for him waiting for him to come back.

"Afraid he might get lost." He asked jokingly and then hearing her laugh.

"There are coyotes out here." She replied smiling at him.

"I don't know why but I never picture you in a small town or out on a farm." He looked at her seeing her smile.

"When I was little, I had a best friend in our apartment complex; Ryan. His mother was a prostitute and with my mother out dealing well we ended up being left alone a lot and his grandparents would sometimes come and get us. They would take us back to their farm and I loved it out there. It was so peaceful and quiet and we would get so lost in our imaginations playing outside. It was a wonderful escape." He watched Elizabeth close her eyes and smile at the memory. "This brings me back to that peace." She opened her eyes and looked at him with warmth.

"We better get back in and check the potatoes." He reminded her and she called Jax in.

He sat at her kitchen island and he could tell she had renovated the kitchen. It had tattered cabinets with wood countertops and the kitchen was lined with open shelving. He laughed inside at her neurotic placements. Everything had a place on the shelf and even things that seemed out of place, he knew was put there for a reason. Elizabeth took another sip of wine before bringing the food into the dining room and he followed her in. She sat next to him and dished him his plate.

"How's work?" She asked him as she took a bite of her chicken.

"It's really good actually. We've proven ourselves and are finally being looked at as a separate entity from my father's businesses. Jake has helped a lot and it has taken some of the pressure off of me." He replied in taste bud bliss from the chicken. "You?"

"I'm working in Ped's. I was in Labor and Delivery but it wasn't really what I enjoyed. I'm happy working with children." Elizabeth finished her wine and poured some more into her glass. She ate slowly but finished her plate before him and she sat back looking completely relaxed.

"You look happy." Her only response and one that he could only see was the glimmer in her eye; the one that told him more than any smile that she was.

"You too." She replied back and he smirked at the thought. He was happy with himself and where his business was going. She would add to that though and he guessed that's what this year had taught him. A person can make you happy but that shouldn't be what you gain it from. They should add to it but not be the source of it.

"I better go. It's getting late and I have to get up early." He stacked her plate on his and carried them into the kitchen to hear her follow behind him with some other dishes.

"Okay. Don't worry about it. I'll just throw those in the dishwasher. It'll only take me a sec." He put them down in the sink and she walked him out. He wanted to stay longer but he knew he should leave. If she wanted him, she would have to let him know and he didn't want the night dictated by wine and their immense sexual chemistry. He needed her to be sure that she wanted him because he couldn't go through another fall because of her.

"It was nice seeing you. Thank you for dinner." He told her in her entry way and they both hesitated with further action. Their dynamic had changed and both of them stood awkwardly.

"You're welcome. Anytime, you're in town feel free to visit." She hugged him quickly before opening the door. He got into his car to see her standing on the porch and he wanted this life with her. The city had its fun with him but this is exactly what he dreamt of with her and leaving her now to wait was one of the hardest things he had to do.

Elizabeth lay in bed frustrated at her ability to completely make a good bye awkward. She beat the sheets with her fists as she sat up. _This is useless. _She laughed at the thought of trying to sleep. It was 2 am and she couldn't stop thinking about Teddy; how he looked, how he spoke, the way he looked at her, and just how different he was in general. He seemed older and more content with life, not so concerned with the future and what it needed to give him. Her mind was racing with thoughts of him and she grabbed her phone. _Don't do it. _She put the phone back down only to stare at it and pick it up again. She made it to his contact page only to shut it off again. _If he wanted anything he would call you. _Her fingers danced on the bed nervously as she contemplated calling him. Jax looked at her exhaustedly at the end of her bed probably pissed at how he couldn't sleep either. "What? Do you think I should call him?" Jax put his head back down.

"I could just call him and blame it on you. Like you stepped on my phone and somehow you called him." She spoke out loud thankful she had a dog because it made her feel less crazy. _Yeah, because dogs have mastered touch phones. _Her mind shot out at her.

"We could just say I meant to call someone else." She uttered to hear Jax bark at her. _Yep, I agree. I should do it too. _

She picked her phone back up and pushed the call button on the screen. The phone began to ring and she lay back down with a hand over her eyes in complete embarrassment that she was doing this. Her heart was racing and then she heard him answer.

"Hello." _He doesn't sound as if he was sleeping. _

"Hey." Was all she could get out and she wished she had practiced what she was going to say.

"Hey." He replied and she could tell he was amused. "You do know what time it is?" He asked and the embarrassment made her hit herself with a pillow.

"Yeah, sorry. I couldn't sleep." She told him giving up on being the cool girl.

Teddy laughed at her. "It's okay. Neither could I. I've just been watching T.V." Elizabeth lay on her side and pulled her blanket up.

"What have you been watching?" She asked, enjoying talking to him.

"I ordered the new Batman movie. It's really long." He replied and she chuckled at his response.

"Well, I have been violently attacking my bed in frustration at not falling asleep and I'm pretty sure Jax is about to leave me." She told him sarcastically to hear him laugh. A tear fell from her eye as she had missed him and this.

"Poor thing having to bear the brunt of your craziness." He responded and she let her phone just sit on her ear as she was finally able to relax.

"I know. I feel bad for him too." She could hear Teddy moving around and she wished that he was here with her.

"Tell me about how you first got him." He asked and she immediately grinned at the memory.

"His mother was saved by a rescue group. Someone had just left her on the side of the road with her pups in a box. They called me because they knew I had been interesting in adopting and I remember feeling so excited. I got there and all of the pups were just wrestling around with each other and playing. The mother just lay there and watched them. There was one though that was off to the side from the group trying so hard to climb up this couch. It was comical watching him but he tried for a while. I admired him for his persistence and that's why I picked him from the rest. He was different." She finished hearing Teddy snoring quietly. She took a deep breath and exhaled into the phone. "I miss you." She whispered before hanging up. Her nerves were calmed and she put her phone back on the table to close her eyes in absolute content.


	25. Chapter 25: An Easy Love

_Hello Everyone! I hope you guys are enjoying your Holiday Season! I think this is the longest break I have had between updates. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed, favorited, and followed this story! Enjoy!_

Chapter 25: An Easy Love

Teddy sat in his office on Friday morning reminiscing about his dinner with Elizabeth and her early morning phone call. A smile immediately graced his face at the thought of how long he knew it took before she decided to call him. _She probably sat there, fingers dancing on her bed, and talking to herself. _He laughed and then felt bad that he hadn't called her the rest of the weekend or week. It wasn't as if he was playing a game with her but he wasn't about to put himself out there for nothing. It was now his fear that was ruling his actions for her. He heard the door open and looked up to see Jake enter with a smirk.

"What has you smiling like that?" He asked him to see Jake give him a look.

"Chelsea just left. That's all." Teddy saw his hair disheveled and he then knew what he was really smirking about.

"Uh huh." He replied giving him a entertained glance.

"Quit. What's going on with Portland? Did we hear back about that office space or the budgets for purchasing the Graphic Advertising company?" Jake asked, changing the subject.

"Our best bet for right now is to purchase the Graphic Advertising company. We would both need to do some unpaid work there though so that there are no needs for lay-offs. We would both still have the income from this office but since you'll be living there and I'll come and stay for a couple weeks in the beginning and then visit whenever you need me." Jake looked up and grinned. Teddy knew he had made it official that he could move with Chelsea.

"I will do whatever it takes to make it work. Thank you! Are you excited to see Elizabeth tonight?" Jake's eyes stared at him in amusement. Freddie's birthday party that Chelsea and Elizabeth had planned was tonight and it would be the first time he would talk to her or see her since the dinner.

"I mean, of course. She's a good friend." Teddy pretended to be going through some reports.

"A friend huh?. I do have to say though she was a whole world away the entire weekend and she kept looking at her phone." Jake cocked his head to the side. "I wonder what call she was waiting for. Huh." Teddy laughed at him and decided against having this conversation with him. He knew that tonight would be interesting because Carrie was invited also. It was Jake's doing at the charity benefit two weeks ago and he could have killed him. Carrie Longwell was the daughter of the second richest entrepreneur behind his father. She was probably the exact person that within their aristocracy of sorts that he should be with. It didn't help that his Grandmother had made him take her as a date to all of the social functions causing rumors of them dating and Carrie didn't help. He had told her from the beginning he wasn't looking for a relationship but he could tell she felt more for him. She was very intelligent and very used to getting what she wants so the confrontation if there is one between her and Elizabeth tonight will be one for the record books. He tried hard to like her but her disconnect from the real world annoyed him.

Elizabeth stood on the elevator praying that she could keep her composure. The door opened and she was met with colored pictures, a busy nurse's station, and some kids she didn't recognize. The last time she had come was the day of the Christmas program, and although she had kept in touch with some of the regulars here, she hadn't visited since then. She saw Glenda look up at her and come around the station to give her a hug. They did a little bit of small talk before she led her to Caleb's room. Corrine was sitting by the bed and looked absolutely exhausted but smiled brightly when she saw her.

"Thank you so much for coming. I didn't mean to bother you but I heard you were in town and he was asking." Elizabeth breathed slowly to hold back her tears.

"Oh no. Thank you so much for calling. I'm sorry that I haven't visited." She replied and then looked to Caleb. He lay sleeping with a pale skin tone almost the same color as the sheets. They had been writing each other the occasional letter and he would sometimes call but her fear of Seattle had gotten the best of her.

"I'll sit with him if you have anything you need to do." She told Corrine, his mother, to be met with a look of relief.

"Thank you. I will run down to the cafeteria to eat. You have my number if you need anything." She replied and walked out.

Elizabeth sat in the chair next to his bed and held his hand. Her last memory of him telling her she loved him and Teddy being afraid of his reaction to him. She laughed at the recollection of Teddy letting go of her hand and putting distance between them in order to keep him happy.

"Elizabeth." She heard a whisper and looked up at Caleb. His eyes were open and he failed to smile with his mouth but she could see it in his eyes. Tears welled in her eyes as her heart sank at the sight of how weak he was. She knew him as this rambunctious 12 year old who loved playing pranks on her and then bragging about how much she loved him to his friends.

"Hey buddy. Your mom called me." She told him and he kept trying to keep his eyes open for her.

"You can sleep if you're tired. I'll be here with your mom the entire time." She comforted him and rubbed her finger over his.

"No. I'm not tired, it's just a lot of work to keep my eyes open." Caleb closed his eyes again but squeezed her hand.

"When I'm better, can I come to your wedding?" He asked her and she laughed.

"Of course. If I have one, you will be the first invite. I promise." Caleb interrupted her. "When. When you have one, you will invite me. That's if I'm not the groom." Elizabeth chuckled at his response. She watched him fall asleep again as his breathing slowed. Life just wasn't fair sometimes and she knew that but this child was intelligent and fun. He loved chess and he loved football; a soul full of comedic melodies and hope. Elizabeth stood and went to the other side of the bed where he had a poster of pictures. There were a lot of the both of them and she couldn't believe how young she looked. Her eyes scanned the picture when she stopped. _Teddy? _She questioned silently when she saw a picture of the both of them in Seattle Seahawk jerseys. Another scan of the pictures and she found two others with Teddy in them. _He visited?_ She suddenly felt so confused when she heard someone walk in.

"He started visiting about six months ago. We knew that you two had been together because Caleb hated him. It took a month of Teddy visiting before Caleb gave him a chance. He got a couple of the Seahawks players to come and meet him. I have never seen him so happy." Elizabeth closed her eyes when she heard her begin to sob. She turned around and hugged her trying to fight off her tears.

"I'm so sorry that I haven't been around. I didn't forget about him. I promise." She pleadingly told her and she looked up.

"We know. Caleb was actually happy that you weren't here. We were happy that you were living your life." That was the last straw that broke the tears from her eyes. Corinne grabbed Elizabeth's hands as they both sat by his bed. It was a familiar scene as they had both grown close during Elizabeth's time of volunteering and she would come and visit on the days she could. They would both sit there and talk while she played Chess with Caleb.

"How's work going?" Elizabeth asked Corinne trying to keep herself awake.

"I actually quit about 4 months ago. So I have been here with him the entire time." She replied and Elizabeth was shocked. She had remembered talking with her about how she hated to work but she needed the insurance. Also, the insurance was only covering a certain percentage so she knew that she had been trying to pick up more shifts. Corinne must have seen her silent questioning.

"Teddy demanded for two months that he pay for all of his care and treatment so that I could be with him. It was about six months ago when they questioned his chemotherapy and then three months ago when we found out it hadn't." Elizabeth thought of Teddy with surprise and she really needed to quit talking about him. All that their talk of him was doing was making her love for him grow and what good would it do her?

"That was very nice of him." She replied not knowing what else to say.

"We start the experimental treatment tomorrow now that chemotherapy isn't working. Teddy had the best doctors looking into it and they are pretty confident though but I don't want to get my hopes up too high." Elizabeth's heart sank for Corrine. She had been so brave and strong throughout this entire process especially for being a single mother.

"I can come by tomorrow if you would like some company for it." She watched Corrine look up at her pleadingly. "Okay, I'll call you in the morning and I'll pick us up some coffee." Elizabeth replied to her expression. The nurses came in to give Caleb a bed bath and Elizabeth and Corrine exited the room.

"I'm going to go but call me if you need anything and I'll talk to you tomorrow." Corrine hugged her with desperation and she felt bad that she hadn't been here for her. One of the nurses called for Corinne and Elizabeth smiled at her before she headed for her car. The drive to Chelsea's was an eerily familiar one and not one she missed. It was too busy and loud for her now and the traffic was instantly irritating. She walked in to see Jax wagging his tail and she let him out the back door.

"How's Caleb?" She heard Chelsea ask as she walked down the stairs.

"Not good but they start another treatment tomorrow. Did you find out what you're wearing tonight?" Elizabeth asked back to see Chelsea grin. The party tonight was at Cowgirls Inc. which was Freddie's favorite bar, not surprisingly considering the bartenders dance on the bar. Elizabeth and Chelsea had made it a western theme which excited them both. Teddy had bought the place for the night and Elizabeth was surprising Freddie. He was under the impression that she couldn't make it because she had to work.

"Yes. You just wait and I saw your outfit. Teddy will not be able to keep his eyes off of you." Elizabeth kept her eyes on Jax as he played outside and tried not to engage Chelsea. She didn't know how Teddy felt about her but she knew she was going to fight for him. If it didn't work out between them so be it but she was going to put all her effort in knowing that she at least tried. She was still in love with him and it had been driving her crazy the past week. Their dinner had resurfaced all of her feelings for him and then today at the hospital made her love for him grow more. Tonight was going to be the night that she would win him back.

Teddy stood in the bar feeling ridiculous in the cowboy hat Chelsea had bought for him. The plaid shirt wasn't too bad and he had a world war III argument with Chelsea over the boots but he won. The hat and shirt was about as far as he was going to go but he laughed at the sight of Jake. Chelsea had made him wear the belt, tight jeans, cowboy boots, and cowboy hat and he looked miserable.

"Don't say anything." Jake spat at him and Teddy tried hard to hold back his laughter but when the light hit his large gold belt buckle, he couldn't hold it anymore. Jake just shook his head at him.

"Well I saw Elizabeth earlier and I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. She's going to have every guy in here all over her. Good luck with that my friend." Teddy quickly shut up as he had never thought about seeing her with another guy. He also had no right at this point to say anything to her. Right now, he was just a friend and he looked around the bar to see it packed with guys when he stopped at one particular guy. _Alex. _Teddy stood staring at him and he knew he would be the guy to watch around her; although, he hoped that the night that Elizabeth chose him over Alex would be enough for him to hate her. _What guy has ever hated Elizabeth though? _Teddy groaned at the thought and took a shot of vodka when he saw Chelsea on top of the bar with a microphone.

"Thank you all so much for coming to celebrate my dear friend Freddie's 25th birthday. I do have a surprise for you though." She spoke as she held her hand out towards the stage and everyone turned. The spotlight came on to Elizabeth standing at a microphone. Teddy almost choked on his beer at the sight of her. She had on cut off jean shorts, cowboy boots, and a khaki green tank top with lace around the neckline. Her long waist and curves emphasized by where the tank top hit and her hair curled loosely. A quarter length sleeved cropped jacket flowed around her and he couldn't help but want to take her home right now. She began to sing Happy Birthday to Freddie; her confidence radiating and Teddy knew he didn't have a chance tonight. She finished singing before beginning her speech.

"I first met Freddie in choir freshman year where he admitted to me he was only there to pick up the ladies." Everyone laughed and Teddy wanted her so bad to be his. "He has become one of my best friends and I have seen him drunk naked more than once. So as a present to him, he is packin ladies. Get to buyin him some shots!" She yelled and the whole bar cheered as Freddie pretended to fan his face. She jumped down off the stage and he picked her up with excitement as the music began to play.

"Happy Birthday!" She screamed at him and then picked up two shots. Teddy watched her motion him over and he couldn't help but stare at her legs and ass in her short shorts. He gritted his teeth hard as he tried to maintain himself in his pants. She handed him a shot of tequila and their group all stood around ready for a toast.

"Here's to good friends, good drinks, and living life." Freddie yelled and they all threw back the shots. Elizabeth put her shot glass down and turned towards him.

"Hi." She spoke and looked at him amusingly.

"Hi. You look great." He tried to keep the grin of his face but it was permanently plastered on there for as long as he looked at her.

"Thank you. You look uncomfortable." She laughed and he knew she was talking about the hat and plaid shirt. "Here. Thank me later." She grabbed the hat and put it on. Teddy chuckled at the hat being too big for her head and how pleased she was with herself. He was going to ask if he could buy her a drink when Chelsea grabbed her arm with excitement. "It's one of our favorite songs." She hollered and Elizabeth looked at him and he gave her a nod as she followed Chelsea out to the dance floor. Elizabeth and Chelsea stood as they watched the line dancers up front. It was the song "Stuck like glue" and they had two girls on stage performing the line dance for it. He saw Elizabeth's studious face as she watched them and it didn't take her long before picking it up. Her cowboy boots meeting heels and her hips moving to the music naturally. The song finished and she kept on dancing. He could definitely watch her all night. She moved so carefree and he missed how young he felt around her. Her spirit was a fun one that always kept him on his toes.

Elizabeth could feel herself beginning to sweat as she danced with Chelsea and pulled her to the bar where they ordered more beer. Chelsea was still bouncing to the music as they stood at the bar and she turned to see where Teddy was. A blonde was talking to him and playfully touching his arms. She gave Chelsea a look.

"Carrie Longwell. She has been going to some of the charity functions with Teddy. He doesn't like her like that but I can't say the same about her feelings. Don't be jealous. He's been watching you the entire night." Elizabeth looked at Chelsea with her eyes too wide.

"I'm not jealous." She spoke quickly and Chelsea just scoffed at her. She truly wasn't jealous because she could tell Teddy didn't want her but she hadn't prepared herself to see him with someone else. They hadn't been together for a year and she was sure he probably dated someone within that time even though she hadn't. Elizabeth took a large sip of her beer and walked over to Freddie who was waving his hand at her. The crowd was all dancing and she had to work a little to get through the crowd unharmed to the other side of the bar. Elizabeth bent down to pick up her clutch she dropped and looked up to see Carrie standing in front of her with a fake smile beaming at her.

"Hi. I'm Carrie." She spoke gracefully as she held her hand out.

"Hi. Elizabeth." She was a perfectly manicured Barbie with her Burberry purse hanging off her shoulder.

"Oh, I know who you are. What are your intentions with Teddy?" _Well, that was fast. _Elizabeth was taken aback at her question. "I mean I ask because we have grown pretty close and I just don't want to see him get hurt." Elizabeth worked to keep herself from laughing but settled for an amused expression instead.

"Well, you might want to worry. I actually plan on tying him up later and using a whip on him. Is that the hurt you're referring to because you can't hurt the consenting?" The shocked look on Carrie's face just made Elizabeth's night even better. She generally used the kill them with kindness technique but Seattle was no longer a place she had to worry about keeping friends. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Teddy standing with a worried expression and she figured she might as well calm him for the night. She wanted him to have fun and live a little.

"What did she say to you?" He asked her as she approached him.

"She asked what my intentions were because she didn't want me to hurt you." Elizabeth replied as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry. She's annoying at best." Elizabeth laughed and she could tell he wanted to ask her what she said.

"I told her that the hurt I was intending for you tonight was going to be in bed." He did a double take at her comment. "Sarcastically , of course." She added and he just shook his head at her.

"Dance with me." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the crowd. He stood in front of her not moving and she moved close to him and placed a hand on his cheek. She got closer to his ear and whispered. "Put your hands on my hips and follow me." She turned herself around and he hesitated so she grabbed his hands and placed them at her hips. His hands gripped her hips and she could feel the power of his touch making her smile with arousal. She began the line dance and he followed her steps pretty well before he let go and began to do it himself. He had never been a dancer and seeing him finish the dance confidently turned her on even more.

"You did it!" She screamed in excitement at his look of success. He grabbed her face and kissed her as the entire room faded into the background.

_Tonight is definitely getting better…_


	26. Chapter 26: Music, Dinner, and Stars

_Thank you everyone for your patience. Sorry for the long break in between updates. I had a New Years Party at my house and the house and I are just now recovered. Enjoy this chapter. I'm sure some of you will. As always, let me know what you think! _

Chapter 26: Music, Dinner, and Stars.

Their lips met with insane chemistry and time stilled. Her lips were soft and her skin warm beneath his hand. The music and people disappearing into the background as he felt her relax after her initial shock. Their lips parted and they stayed suspended in their bliss as they left their foreheads touching and she closed her eyes. Teddy stared at her look of content and he wish he knew what she was thinking.

"I've missed you." Her eyes looked up at him with strong desire and the corners of her lips turned up. A sigh of relief left him at her words.

"I've missed you." He told her and she kissed him again. The fact that they were in a bar didn't faze them at all and he let her decide when to end their moment. She pulled back and the noise and crowd appeared again with the added cheers of their friends. Elizabeth bowed for them and looked at him covering her eyes with her arms in embarrassment. She was so damn cute and sexy as he walked with her back to their table. Teddy sat on the barstool as Elizabeth turned and leaned back against his chest. His arms came over her shoulders as he kissed her cheek. He watched her check her phone and turn to him.

"I have to go. I gotta let Jax out and I have to be up early. Wanna drive me?" She looked at him with a coy smile.

"Of course." He stood up and they both walked over to Chelsea, Jake, and Freddie.

"We're heading out." She told them as they all had childish grins on their faces.

"Bow Chicka Wow Wow" Chelsea started to sing and Jake started to dance.

"You all need to be sedated." Elizabeth told them as she hugged Freddie.

"You can't leave. It's my birthday party." Freddie slurred out at her making her laugh.

"Technically it's not your birthday anymore since its past 12. That's no longer a valid argument." He made a shooing motion at her and Teddy gave him a man shake and embrace.

Teddy ran before her to his car and opened the door for her. "This is chivalrous." He watched her climb in with eagerness and he got in the car to see her holding her hand out. The feeling that ran through him as he placed his hand in hers and drove was exhilarating and comforting. Teddy didn't mind the silence in the car because he was taking in the completeness he felt being with her again. He figured she was doing the same thing. Words seemed so small compared to the emotion of their reunion. He parked in Chelsea's driveway and walked in with Elizabeth to be greeted by Jax and his tail wagging ferociously.

"Hey buddy. Let's go outside." They all went outside and Elizabeth sat on his lap on the patio as they watched Jax play in the grass. She lay her head on his shoulder and he kissed her forehead.

"Here we are again. Where it all began." She spoke quietly and he smirked at the memory.

"I never stopped loving you." He moved her in surprise as he looked at her shocked. "You don't have to say anything but I have wanted to tell you a lot of things since our dinner. I left still loving you a year ago and not one thing has changed besides it intensifying." Their conversation was cut short by the sound of her cellphone ringing. He saw the caller ID said Corrine and she stood with shaky hands.

"Hello." She answered and he could hear her voice wavering. They both knew the only reason for a late night phone call from her now.

"I'm so sorry. We'll be right there." Her voice became soft and when she hung up the phone; her head dropped in sadness.

"Caleb passed away a half hour ago. We need to go." Teddy stood and called Jax in as Elizabeth went inside to change. His heart hurt for Corrine and the loss he felt was greater than he expected. He had become a lot more attached to Caleb and Corrine; more than he originally planned to. It was the second time in his life that he was reminded just how fragile life can be. He watched Elizabeth come down the stairs with her eyes red and she met his hold with ease as her tears fell into his chest. "I'm sorry." She got out in between sobs and raised her head up to look at him.

"Don't be. This is what I'm here for." He replied quietly and she shook her head to compose herself. Teddy followed her out to the car where she climbed in and immediately grabbed his hand when he got in. She moved in her seat so she could lay her head on his shoulder while he drove.

"Are you okay?" He asked her and then quickly wondered if that was even a purposeful question with the news they had just heard.

"I'm so sad for Corrine and honestly I'm happy for Caleb. The life he has been living was not at all a good quality of life. He deserves peace after all that he has had to endure but, my god; losing a child. That pain has to be unbearable. Do you ever wonder why certain people were placed on this earth only to endure pain?" She didn't move at all from her place at his shoulder.

"I have wondered that before but mostly those thoughts revolved around you. I think everyone has a purpose or even more than one on this earth. Some people raise presidents and some raise a child like Caleb that will change people like me. He's done more good in this world than I have ever thought of doing before. Sometimes shitty things happen to good people like you and Caleb but you both have saved people. You do it in your job and Caleb did it with his strength. It was inspiring." He honestly didn't know he had that form of response in him. It was a realization he came to after she asked the question. Questions have a funny way of doing that he supposed.

"I never thought of it like that. He also brought us back together. He gave me the strength and realization to fight for you tonight. I'm not saying I wouldn't have fought for you either way but I would have been a lot more afraid of the potential rejection than what I was." He squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead.

"Well, I guess God gave him multiple purposes for this earth then. He was very confident in his ability to do so." Elizabeth giggled at his reply.

"He hated God for a good six months like two years ago and anytime anyone would bring up God he would always shoot me this look of annoyance. His grandmother died around that time and I think at her funeral he gathered just how much people find comfort in him. I visited the week after and he told me he liked him again because his mother liked him and that he was going to be the person that would care for her if he was gone." He could tell from her voice that she was smiling at the memory.

"Smart kid." He felt her nod in agreement and he knew he needed to tell her about his feelings the past year. It took courage and a lot of strength for her to tell him what she did earlier and he wanted to reinforce that he would never reject her.

"I love you too." He felt her kiss his cheek when they pulled into the parking lot. The walk to Caleb's room seemed much shorter than usual. Elizabeth held his hand as they walked the same hallway as they did a year ago. Corrine sat outside the room with her head in her hands and her eyes were rimmed with a bright red color. She smiled genuinely at the sight of both of them walking hand in hand.

"I'm so sorry." Teddy told Corrine as he hugged her. She cried into his chest almost at the same place that Elizabeth did but Corrine was shorter. He watched Elizabeth hug her and try and comfort her but as a grieving mother she became inconsolable. Caleb was being cleaned up and it took Elizabeth a good hour of using all of her comforting techniques she knew to calm her and even then Corrine just whimpered in her chair. He hated grief and he remembered it like it was yesterday when it was Elizabeth. The feeling he had when she had no pulse lying on the floor with blood on her face just shook his entire reality. He knew that what Corrine was feeling had to be ten times worse and that seemed almost impossible.

"There were a lot of things I still needed to tell him and we had so many things we still needed to do." Corrine sadly uttered in frustration and despair.

"Shhhh. He knew you loved him. That's all that matters." Elizabeth said to her as she grabbed her hands.

"No. It's not comforting for me. I should have told him every time he woke up. I am never going to be able to see him go to a school dance or just graduate high school. I will never have grandchildren." She started to hysterically yell when her father walked in and sat with her. Elizabeth moved by Teddy and they both stood as he motioned that it was okay for them to leave. Her recognitions hit him hard as he watched Elizabeth walk before him. He had lost her twice: once almost dying twice and the other last year. That is when he realized that he couldn't do it again. The love he felt for her was stronger and more stable than last year. He knew more about whom he was which gave him a much better understanding of his love for her.

"Hey, are you okay?" She questioned as she resumed her position of holding his hand.

"Yeah. Just tired." He replied hoping that it was enough for her.

"Will you go out with me tomorrow night?" He asked her and saw her smile.

"Of course." She tightened her grip on his hand and he watched her disappointment when they got to the car because she had to let go. They drove in silence again as she curled her legs up on to the seat. It was 2:30 in the morning and they both sat exhausted. Chelsea's house couldn't come soon enough to swallow them up that even the excitement about spending the night with her couldn't rid his tiredness. His mind was on overdrive of all the plans he needed to make for tomorrow night. They pulled into the drive and he went straight upstairs as Elizabeth let Jax out once more. He stripped to his boxers and climbed into her bed letting his head fall easily onto the pillow. Elizabeth walked in and saw his clothes on the floor.

"A little confident aren't we?" She jokingly told him as she stripped to her bra and panties. She grabbed her nightgown before taking of her bra and then put it on. _God, that body. _He groaned internally at the sight of her. She looked better than ever as she slid in next to him. Her body curved into his as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

"Hey." He whispered and he could tell she was already beginning to fall asleep.

"hm?" was her only response.

"I love you. We're going to be just fine. I promise." He whispered again and this time she turned to him and grazed his cheek with her fingers.

"I know. I love you too." She murmured back and kissed him softly. He could feel her fall asleep and when he knew she wouldn't stir, he sat up and grabbed his phone. His fingers vigorously hit the keyboard on his phone as he texted his father and assistant. _Everything has to be perfect. _

Elizabeth woke up only to be accompanied by Jax whining at her. She grabbed her phone to check the time and then sat up trying to wake up slowly. Last night's whirlwind of emotions left her feeling almost hungover emotionally today. She found a note on the side table with Teddy's handwriting.

_I couldn't bear to wake you up. You looked so comfortable. I took Jax out already. I have an emergency work appointment. Text me when you're up. I love you_

A cheesy smile found its way on to her face and she laughed at herself. "Okay, I'm up. I'm up." She spoke to Jax who wagged his tail excitedly. She threw on some running pants and tank top with her tennis shoes. A run would help wake her up and collect her thoughts and feelings again. Chelsea and Jake were still not up yet so she snuck down the stairs quietly. It was a beautiful day outside with a nice breeze and Jax couldn't help but bark at a squirrel across the street.

"Alright buddy. Let's go." She put his leash on and they began to run. Chelsea's neighborhood was an older one in Seattle but she soon enough hit the city. She figured she would try for two hours but considering her late night last night, she would be surprised if she could do an hour. The city was a much different place to run in than in Scappoose. It was sensory overload with all of the sounds, buildings, and traffic. She liked the tree's, mountain view, and quiet besides her music; although, her iPod quit working once on her run and she shocked herself at how much she enjoyed running to the sounds of the country. The birds were chirping, the sound of her feet on the gravel, and the scenery made for the calmest run she had ever had. An hour and a half went by when she was finally getting back to Chelsea's house. She walked in to find Jake and Chelsea both sitting on the couch drinking coffee.

"Don't look at me all cheery and healthy." Chelsea snapped at her.

"Rough morning?" Elizabeth faked empathy as she got her some Tylenol.

"Don't judge me Jillian Michaels with your running shit on." Elizabeth had to laugh at that one.

"Here, take this. Both of you." She handed them both some aspirin and she knew they would be spending the day snuggled on the couch.

"Would you like me to go and get a hangover kit. Movies, food, and a lot of water?" Jake looked up at her and laughed.

"What are you doing today?" He asked her and she could sense some unknown secret he had going within the question.

"Um. I am probably going to visit Corrine and then Teddy is taking me out later." She saw Chelsea and Jake give each other a look.

"What? Spit it out." She questioned them.

"Nothing. Get out of here already. Your voice is annoying me." Elizabeth stared and Chelsea and she knew they were keeping something from her.

"You are a gem this morning. Call me when the bitch leaves your system." She gave her a fake glare and they both smiled. It was their best friend exchange for the day and Elizabeth went upstairs to shower and change.

The entire afternoon was spent with Corrine who was much more responsive than the day before. She had helped with most of the funeral arrangements so that Corrine wouldn't have to make too many decisions for the day. Corrine wandered lost almost within her apartment and Elizabeth figured that's probably exactly what she felt- lost. All of her purpose and routine revolved around Caleb and now she had to form a new day over and over again. She had made Corrine lunch and then left her so she could take a nap. As soon as she got back to Chelsea's she had to change quickly. She had spent more time at Corrine's than she had originally planned and Teddy was going to be picking her up in twenty minutes. She threw on a red flowy sundress, a chunky cardigan, and cowboy boots. It was going to get down to 68 degrees later and Teddy had told her they would be outside their entire date. She braided her hair and let it fall down one shoulder before reapplying some makeup. It was the fastest she had ever gotten ready for a date and the change in her getting ready procedure threw her off a little. Jax bolted from her side at the sound of Teddy's voice downstairs and she followed him down to see Teddy in jeans and a grey chambray button up. _Oh Lord, look at him. _She thought to herself as she stared at his all American boy smile he was shooting at her.

"Ready to go?" He asked her and the thrilled smiles that Jake and Chelsea were giving them made her nervous.

"Can I take a picture?" Chelsea screamed excitedly when she noticed the confused look Elizabeth was giving her. "I'm just really excited you two are back together. We're a foursome again." Elizabeth pretended not to know that she was lying and appeased her.

She stood next to Teddy as Chelsea took her picture. All three of them were acting strange but she shrugged it off. She has been waiting for this night for a year and even the odd behavior of her best friends couldn't ruin it. Their car ride was filled with conversations about his business and she was trying to guess where he was taking her. They ended up in the city where he parked not too far from his office building but all of this was the older buildings of Seattle. The architecture and character were all beautiful and it was Elizabeth's favorite part of Seattle. He held her hand as he led her down the street and then into an old neighborhood park. She could hear the sound of blue's music traveling the air and it warmed her heart. Blues music was her favorite and not just anyone could sing it. He sat her down on a bench and then he went and got them some popcorn and water from a local food trailer across the park. There were two older black men with a guitar and a harmonica singing Sam Cooke beautifully. The rasp and emotion that came through in their music was glorious. She could sit here all night and listen to them when she saw Teddy talk to one of them. He sat down next to her on the bench and she moved herself so that her legs lay across his lap.

"This is amazing. I love them." She told him excitedly to see him looking so proud of himself.

"I actually came across them when I played basketball here for one of our charities. I immediately thought of you when I heard them. I know how much you love street performers and blues." They both sat and watched these two men just sing like there was no tomorrow. Their passion for music was inspiring and their ability to just do what they love was the most beautiful thing to witness. They began to play a familiar song and she saw the look on Teddy's face when she recognized it. _Feel's like Rain. _One of her favorites and she remembered it was their wedding song from Teddy's dreams. He held out his hand, pulled her up, and wrapped his arm around her waist as he began to dance with her. She rested her forehead on his chin and closed her eyes as they moved so naturally to the sound of their song. His warmth, the music, and their connection formed a dance only known to them. The dance held such tenderness, passion, and adoration that it almost overwhelmed her how happy she felt in that moment. The song ended but he held her there for an extra couple of seconds.

"Ready for dinner?" He whispered into her ear and she nodded as he left a $100 bill for the two men and they hugged her both as they said their goodbye's. She could feel the too big of grin on her face and she didn't care. The drive to their dinner was a familiar one. She knew they were heading to his parent's house. He pulled into the drive but they didn't continue down the drive. He parked towards the side of it and they got out. She could see lights in the far distant in the prairie. He grabbed her hand and led her toward the lights as they both spoke excitedly about the blues music they had just heard. Her eyes feasted on the sight of a blanket and cushions laid out on the ground and old lanterns lit around it. There was a picnic basket and a bottle of champagne in ice.

"Well you just keep surprising me Teddy Grey." He smiled at her as he shrugged his shoulders and she sat down on the blanket with childish giddy.

"I made this earlier today. It's not a four course meal but it's your favorite." He told her nervously and she wanted to attack him right there but who knew which security were watching them right now.

"I'm sure I'll love it. You know I'm not a picky eater." He pulled out some chicken salad sandwiches', homemade potato chips, and a salad. He placed them on the blanket slowly and arranged them for her. This was something of importance for him. She could tell he was gaining great pride from cooking her food and getting it ready for her. She started with the salad that had goat cheese and strawberries with vinaigrette which was her favorite. He stared at her while she ate which if it was anyone else, it would have made her uncomfortable but she knew he was waiting for her reaction.

"Teddy. This is delicious." She told him as she kissed him. "Now, am I going to be eating by myself?" She jokingly said to him and he picked up his salad. She could smell the tree's, the freshly cut grass across the way, and the breeze felt amazing. They finished their dinner and he moved it so they could lay down. He put his head down on her stomach and she used one of the cushions as a pillow under her head. Her fingers ran through his hair as they just stared at the stars and talked.

"This is so relaxing and so nice. Thank you for tonight. It's been amazing." She continued to run her fingers through his hair when he made a comment about the stars.

"The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars." She spoke in the voice of Mufasa causing him to double up in laughter and she joined him. They both lay back down breathless where he just stared at her in amazement.

"Will you marry me?" He asked her and they both sat up with her staring at him in shock.

"I want you to be my wife, my best friend, and my lover for as long as you grace this earth. We owe it to Caleb and ourselves to be nothing other than happy and having you as my wife would make me the luckiest man ever. I always thought that in this moment I would be nervous and scared but I'm so calm and content right now because this feels so right to me. You feel like second nature to me. You just feel right." She could feel the shock disappear as she saw exactly what this night was.

"So, will you marry me?" He asked her again as he held a box open with a simple band decorated with one of the biggest round diamonds. It was simple and it would be the exact ring she would pick for herself. She took a deep breath and delivered her answer.


	27. Chapter 27: The Day Has Come

_Enjoy this chapter and as always let me know what you think. I enjoyed all of your reviews also! Please don't hate me over the cliffhanger! _

Chapter 27: The Day Has Come.

Elizabeth sat in the chair staring at the mirror feeling a little more sentimental than usual. Ana and Phoebe sat beside her and their excitement was evident with their voices louder and higher pitched than what she was used to. Lindsay, the woman doing her hair kept smiling and you would think this was her wedding day.

"How do you like it?" She asked her and Elizabeth looked up from her hands. It was simple and completely her. A low bun with hair messily falling from it and loose curled strands framed her face.

"I love it. Thank you." She smiled with gratitude and Lindsay then moved to do Chelsea's hair. The lack of family she didn't have always bothered her in moments like these. All of Teddy's immediate family was here but that was still like twenty people and she only had Chelsea and her parents. It's not that it was embarrassing but it definitely made her feel just different. There wasn't a specific emotion she could pin this on but it was throwing her off.

"Elizabeth, you look beautiful!" Ana told her and Elizabeth could tell she was about to cry.

"Thank you but please don't start that yet. I need my makeup to stay put!" Elizabeth sat and watched Ana get a couple of different things ready. _I officially have a family._ She thought to herself and it dawned on her the added responsibility she now had. She was a sister to Phoebe and a daughter to Ana and Christian now. The official feeling of it all now began to make her nervous. She stepped outside the door and called Teddy on the phone.

"Hey." He answered and she immediately felt stress strip away at the sound of his voice. She wanted so badly to sneak away and see him considering he was just downstairs in his parent's basement but they had already broke tradition already. He snuck up to her room last night and slept with her there before sneaking back down in the wee hours. He had texted her this morning saying that the security were laughing at him sneaking down the stairs.

"Hi. What are you doing?" She could hear him laugh at her question making her smile. She sat down on the floor and held the phone to her ear.

"I'm getting ready to marry you. I hope you're doing the same." His voice was helping soothe her.

"I am. I just needed to hear your voice." She could hear him leave the room as the voices faded into nothing.

"Are you having doubts?" He asked worriedly.

"Of course not. I have no doubts. I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed. It's nothing that talking to you couldn't fix. I'm feeling better already. " She reassured him and she heard him breathe easier into the phone.

"Okay. What are you feeling overwhelmed with?" She fiddled with the string on her sweatpants as she tried to find words to describe why she was feeling that way.

"Everyone wants to cry when they look at me and then with everyone at the reception. It's just a lot of attention."

"Who knew you hated attention?" he joked with her. "Babe, I know this is bigger than you wanted but just remember that soon enough we'll be back in our quiet home and relaxing. That is after our honeymoon of just you and I." The picture of just the two of them alone for the next two weeks was a calming one and she found herself yearning for the time to go faster.

"I love you. Thank you." She said appreciatively and she felt even better about today. It had been four months of living with him and they had fit well. They fell into pretty stereotypical gender roles and the summer had left them able to boat most weekends with Chelsea and Jake. She had worried about his adjustment to a small town but he seemed to thrive in it with her. They were running together every morning before work with Jax and they had Portland for nights out when they wanted one. They had also started plans to build a home with a straight view of the mountain top.

"I love you babe. Are you feeling better?" He asked with his usual sincerity after one of their talks.

"Yeah. I have unruffled my feathers. I'll see you soon." She ended the call and felt much more prepared for the day. This was the love of her life and she has survived more than a large reception. She walked back into the room to see both Phoebe and Chelsea in their dresses. _Don't cry. Don't cry. _She reminded herself of the makeup that had taken her makeup artist a good half hour to apply and it didn't need messing with.

"You both look amazing. I love the dresses." She had picked blush colored strapless long dresses that gathered at the waist and wore a sweetheart neckline. Chelsea hurried over and grabbed her hand.

"Let's go put your dress on. I'm so excited!" She screamed making everyone turn towards them. Chelsea pulled her into the large bathroom in Ana and Christian's room. Elizabeth took off her sweatpants and shirt and stepped into her dress. Chelsea zipped it up in the back and they both stared at her in the mirror. The dress showcased a boat neck neckline that had a white see through top that gathered at her waist with a silk sash. Lace detail ran up the front of the dress to form a sweetheart neckline. Off white chiffon flowed freely from her waist and a slit where she could show off her legs. It was different, sexy, and elegant all at the same time. She ran her hands down the chiffon and she now wished she would have waited to have her make up done. A couple tears pushed through and she quickly grabbed a tissue to clear them up.

"Stop that." Chelsea swatted her as she grabbed one too.

"You look absolutely beautiful. Who knew anyone would make an honest woman out of ya?" They both laughed.

"Thank you." Elizabeth turned back towards the mirror. She had never planned her wedding or imagined she could even be with someone long enough to get married. Teddy was it for her. She hated to admit it but he saved her from a lifetime of loneliness. They both walked out of the bathroom to get the same reaction from everyone else. It was finally time. She joined Tom, Chelsea's Dad, behind the old barn doors they had installed right in front of the entrance they created in the prairie. They had mowed an aisle into the prairie and cleared enough for the ceremony.

"Well, look at you. You look exquisite." She heard Tom tell her as she walked up after the bridesmaids and groomsmen had gone through.

"Thank you so much for agreeing to walk me down." She had asked him at a family dinner during one of their visits. He had been her father figure ever since 7th grade when she met Chelsea and he couldn't have been happier to oblige.

"Oh honey, we have all been waiting to see the day that you looked this happy." He extended his arm out so she could hook hers through when the music started. A cellist began to play _Angels of Venice_ when the barn doors were opened. She had to dig a fingernail into her thumb to keep herself from crying. Everyone stood from their chairs to look at her but she kept her gaze on Teddy. He looked about as emotional as she was but she still stared at him before a gust of wind blew through. The prairie blew in the wind and the tree's branches shook but it felt like excited whispers throughout the land. This was everything she wanted it to be. The ceremony was small and intimate. They both firmly believed that it was something to be shared with the people closest to you. Christian's siblings, their children, and both of Teddy's grandparents were present along with Taylor and Gail. Corrine and Chelsea's parents also were invited and that was it. Jake and Freddie stood with Teddy while Chelsea and Phoebe stood for her. She reached the point where Teddy stood and he lifted her veil and then took her hand. They both turned and went to a chair in front that held a framed picture of Caleb. They both knelt before the chair and sent grateful thoughts to him to be met with Corrine's tears as they stood. _Lord, if my makeup is still present on my face by the end of the day, I will be surprised. _They both returned to their places in front of their officiant as he began the beginning of the ceremony. He started off with stories of their undying strength and connection and it was a faint voice she heard as she just looked at Teddy. Teddy wore a smile brighter than any she had seen when they had gotten to the point of the vows. They both decided on doing poems that described their love instead of traditional vows. She had memorized hers because it was short but it was exactly how she felt. Tears arose before she had even opened her mouth and she cleared her throat before speaking

"_When words run dry, _

_He does not try, _

_Nor do I_

_We are on Par. _

_He just is, _

_I just am and we just are."_

She had to take a deep breath before continuing because her voice was shaky with the tears. She could hear some other sniffles from the crowd but cleared her head so she could go on.

"_I promise to love you until I can love no more and at the end point of our journey I promise to be standing by your side proudly holding your hand. I love you. Oh Lord." _She finished embarrassingly as Chelsea handed her a handkerchief and Teddy laughed at her. He then cleared his throat before beginning his.

"_When I used to look above, _

_All I saw was sky; _

_And every song that I would sing_

_I sung not knowing why. _

_All I felt and all I thought_

_Was only just because;_

_Never was it ever you,_

_Until it was all there was._

_I promise to love you until I can love no more and at the end point of our journey I promise to be standing by your side proudly holding your hand. I love you."_

She watched him speak so gracefully and confidently that even any potential fear she could ever have disappeared. They were given the rings and they placed them on each other's fingers to then be given the permission to kiss each other. He dipped her low and her hand found its resting place at his cheek as he kissed her softly and lingered. They returned to reality and to the cheers of their families who quickly came up to embrace them both. Elizabeth turned to Chelsea to see her as the biggest mess of everyone.

"Who knew you had a heart?" She joked and hugged her.

"Shut up. Delete any pictures that I'm crying in. I love you." She whispered to her.

"I love you." They both then followed the photographer to take their pictures before they would have to head to the reception.

Teddy stood in his parent's kitchen watching Elizabeth excitedly try and give confidence to Phoebe that she would find a handsome date tonight. They had about 400 people attending their reception as it was most of his and his father's business contacts. Elizabeth had hated the idea but it was all business and politics in the end and he planned on spending the majority of time with her anyway. As always, she was quick to please and warmed up to the idea. They weren't accepting gifts but had their favorite charities picked out if they wanted to donate on behalf of them. Elizabeth strutted over to him and kissed him. They were all getting ready to enter the tent in his parent's back yard. Everyone lined up and they all began to walk down the patio stairs into the tent at the sound of the D.J announcing their names. The entire crowd stood and applauded as they walked in to be seated at their head table. Dinner commenced and he could tell Elizabeth was glad. If she didn't get food in her at minimum every three hours she was irritated at best. The tent was filled with sounds of conversations echoing all around and he watched Elizabeth and Chelsea talk animatedly about the ceremony. Today had been perfect and he couldn't believe the identity they had formed as one. The entire wedding from the décor, poems, and even music described them both to a tee. The time came for speeches from the best man and maid of honor. He was prepared for Jake's but he was nervous about Chelsea's. The girl who had no filter but the anticipation of what she might say made the night even more exciting. Jake started off with stories of how he first met Elizabeth and what he thought of her. It became more sentimental as he went on and Teddy laughed to himself as he saw just who wore the pants in the relationship between him and Chelsea who then stood to begin her speech.

"I must begin by saying that technically I played a large part in this relationship becoming official because they met at my house." Everyone laughed already and he knew she was just getting started. "Elizabeth has been my best friend since 7th grade. I have noticed some neurotic tendencies of her that honestly, most revolve around cleaning. I'm telling you this because one of the most comical moments that I have witnessed between Teddy and Elizabeth involve this neurotic tendency of hers. She has this need for when she vacuum's that the lines need to be straight. She loves the lines that a vacuum leaves." Elizabeth buried her head into his shoulder in embarrassment as they both knew what exchange she was going out them of. "Well, so I am over for dinner one night at their house and they had gotten into a small argument. Teddy has this brilliant idea in his frustration with her to drop down on the carpet in their upstairs and make a carpet angel completely messing up her lines in the floor. I mean, I knew how serious this was. Elizabeth stormed off and I ran off after her to comfort her. Within ten minutes she really didn't care anymore and then we heard the vacuum. He had put the lines back in the carpet for her before apologizing. What I'm trying to get at here is that these two belong together because no one else is crazy enough to marry either one of them besides each other. I love you both." The entire room stood to applaud as they could still hear the hysterical laughter of his parents and a couple different people in the crowd. Elizabeth stood to hug her and he could tell she was probably whispering death threats to her. She looked back to the crowd and held her hands up in a defeated motion. The time came for their first dance and he walked her out onto the dance floor where a spotlight came onto the first surprise of the night he had for her. She gasped in shocked and turned to him excitedly as they of course began to sing _Feels Like Rain_ by John Hiatt. It was the two street singers they had watched in the park the day he proposed and they had eagerly agreed to perform at his wedding. He wrapped his arm around her and felt her thumb brush his cheek as she kissed him and they danced. Their world became small again as they disappeared from the crowd and their bodies moved to the sound of those magnificent voices. She kept one hand at the nape of his neck and the other held his hand extended out. The music did not last long enough because he could have danced with her like that all night. He then dropped her off by Chelsea's father as he took his mother out for their dance. She was crying like a baby already but even more during their dance. He found it amusing but she kept smacking him every time he wanted to laugh. Elizabeth then danced with Chelsea's father and Chelsea moved around the entire room trying to get pictures from almost every angle she could. The music ended finally as Elizabeth came back to his side and they made their way through the crowd to greet everyone. They had thanked about half the crowd when he saw Sophie standing by herself and he was going to ignore her when Elizabeth noticed her too.

"Well, let's get this over with shall we?" She dragged him over by her and she rolled her eyes at the sight of them.

"Congratulations" She said sarcastically and Elizabeth laughed.

"We just wanted to thank you for coming." Elizabeth started to walk away when Sophie started to speak again.

"You can thank me again when I'm there at the divorce party too." Teddy put a foot forward as he was about to verbally assault her right there when he felt Elizabeth's arm still him. She stepped in front of Sophie with the biggest smile on her face that she could muster and from a distance it probably seemed like it was the friendliest conversation anyone could have.

"First off, I would never have imagined you to be tacky enough to attend a divorce party. Second, get another hobby. While you are sitting at home planning our demise or throwing darts at our picture we are at our home not giving you a thought. You are not a topic of conversation between us nor do we think of you at all. I have dealt with much more evil than you could produce in one finger and I have won. You are not an obstacle in our life at all and if you were I could ruin you just as easily as I did the first time. Thank you for coming and I do hope you enjoy your night." Elizabeth hugged her and then walked away with Teddy following her in awe. He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the back of the tent as he ferociously kissed her.

"I love you, you know that?" She laughed at his question before kissing him again and biting at his lower lip.

"I would hope so considering I am now your wife." She joked back and he stared at her with admiration.

"That you are."

**Notes: Both Poems are by Lang Leav. You can tumblr her at The Girl Who Cries Wolf. Beautiful poems and a beautiful way with words. **


	28. Chapter 28:Connections

_Enjoy and please let me know what you think. I'm always open to suggestions! _

Chapter 28: Connections

It had been a month since their honeymoon and life was finally back to normal. Elizabeth and Teddy had run this morning with Jax and he had also dropped her off at work. She loved the routine life now gave her and of course her husband. They had been so in sync on everything since they had been back and their honeymoon was dreamy. They had traveled to New Zealand and hiked, swam, and learned more about the Maori culture. The people there were extremely friendly and treated everyone like family. She laughed at the memory of Teddy attempting to do the Haka and her attempts at the poi. It was the first time she had been able to sit since she had arrived at work. She had just gotten done with one of their newer patients an hour ago to take her break. The poor thing was a six month old baby rescued from a drug house. He had pneumonia and one of the worst diaper rashes she had ever seen. No one had come for him yet and she hated to leave him alone in his room but she could feel herself getting exhausted with lack of food. She emptied her tray and returned to the ped's floor. As soon as she got up there one of the older nurses approached her.

"We're overstaffed and we need someone to sit in there with that little boy. He's pretty lethargic still but is responding some. Can you sit in for the rest of your shift or at least let us know when you want a break?" Ruth had made it sound like such a chore but she was more than happy to oblige.

"Of course. I would love to." Elizabeth went to his room and prepared a bottle for him. He was sitting inside the crib smiling at her and it melted her heart. His blue eyes gleaming and she couldn't wait to hold him. She prepared his bottle for him because they didn't know when the last time he ate. He was underweight, not severely, but enough for someone to be suspicious. She poured hot water into a bowl and put the bottle in as she lowered the side of the crib and he put his hands out for her and then became distracted by the wires and IV's. She could hear his wheezing and she gathered him in her arms and sat in the rocker. The motion calmed him which calmed her because she hated to see his chest contract into his ribs. She grabbed the bottle and fed it to him. It took him a while because of his pneumonia but he got some of it down. She knew that some might come back up with a cough spell but he needed something. She brought him upright so that his head lay on her shoulder and she patted his back softly. His soft little head snuggled against her cheek and it broke her heart that someone could treat this poor child as they had. After he had burped a couple times she sat him on her lap where she gave him a toy. She could tell he was becoming tired again and she sat him back in his crib to ready a breathing treatment. Soft little goo's and ga's escaped his mouth as he watched her walk around the room making her giggle at his innocence. The noise of the breathing treatment scared him and he began to scream in terror. She picked him up and sat him on her lap where she rubbed his back. Another nurse had to come in and help hold him while they put the mask to his face.

"Shhh. It's okay. It will be over soon." She kept saying softly to him only to be drowned out by his screams.

After a couple of minutes he had calmed some but he was still trying to fight them off. As they finished up she quickly gathered him up in a blanket and put him to her chest. She rocked slowly and made a shushing noise while rubbing his back. His loud cries became soft whimpers before she could hear him snoring. He was moving all over the place so she began to sing.

"_May God bless and keep you always, _

_May your wishes all come true. _

_May you always do for others, _

_And let others do for you. _

_May you build a ladder to the stars_

_And climb on every rung. _

_May you stay forever young."_

His breathing slowed again and his arms stilled. All was good again in this room.

Teddy was tired after today's work. He was still catching up on his two week absence when he went on their honeymoon and had finally finished everything tonight only to remember that it all begins on Monday again. It was finally Friday and he was excited to spend the weekend with his wife and friends as they checked on the progress of the house. He entered the Ped's unit and said hi to Elizabeth's coworkers when they pointed to a room. He could see her in there rocking a baby and he snuck a little closer to hear her singing. She looked and sounded so angelic as she rocked him and she was gently rubbing his back. It had brought up feelings he hadn't felt since the dreams of Reagan. He always felt like he would want as much time alone with her as he could get but seeing her with a baby felt so right. He waited a couple more minutes before walking in.

"Hey." He whispered to see her look up and smile.

"It's okay. He's passed out." She spoke quietly.

"He's tired huh?" Teddy came a little closer to see him sucking away on his pacifier.

"Yeah. He's had a rough day." She replied and saw Angela, another nurse walk in.

"I'll take him from here so you can leave." She walked over and Elizabeth extended her arms out to make the pass easier. He stirred a little but then his body became still again.

They both walked out into the hall where she grabbed her things from the nurses' station and finished her notes really fast. Teddy's mind was racing with thoughts of wanting to talk to her about having a baby. _She'll think you're crazy. It's too soon. _He was brought back to reality when she grabbed his hand and they started their walk to the car. He figured he would ask her tonight about it. If she wanted to wait it wasn't the end of the world and at least he knew that she wanted children.

They pulled into the drive and Teddy went inside to let Jax out. He watched him run to Elizabeth in excitement that they were finally home. He laughed to himself before grabbing the burgers he had formed this morning out of the refrigerator and the vegetable skewers. Elizabeth came in and grabbed a plate from him as they both walked back outside towards the grill. She started the grill and he started the bonfire. Jake, Chelsea, and another couple from his work were coming over tonight to hang out but he wanted to talk to her before they came. After starting the fire he walked into the house and grabbed some beers for them which she quickly thanked him for and gave him a kiss. She came over and sat on his lap in the lawn chair and they watched the flames build in the fire.

"I want a baby." He didn't mean for it to come out so forward but he didn't dwell on it either. She looked at him with doting eyes.

"I know you do." She told him softly and he shook his head.

"No, like I want to know if you want one soon. I would like to try and have a baby now." She smiled brightly at him and put her beer down.

"Like, you want to make a baby right now in this lawn chair. It's much sooner than I expected as I had planned on asking you later but.." His eyes grew wider at her response and he grinned boyishly at her.

"Are you serious because I'm being completely serious?" He mumbled fast with excitement.

"I'm serious too. I would prefer a baby earlier than later." He picked her up in excitement and her head fell back as she laughed freely.

"We're going to have a baby!" He yelled to the empty acres behind them. She just grabbed his face and kissed him.

"This should be fun." She smiled devilishly at him and he spun her around before she yelled at him to stop. She smacked him playfully then returned to the grill to check on the food. The idea scared her a little but after holding little Brian for most of her shift today, she couldn't help but feel excited. Jake and Chelsea pulled in and they both could sense the air of excitement forming around Elizabeth and Teddy.

"What? Did you win the lottery and become milllionaires?" Chelsea asked and then shook her head. "Oh, that's right. You already are." They all began to laugh and then they all sat around the bonfire.

"We have decided to try and have a baby." Teddy blurted out excitedly and he could feel Elizabeth's shocked face and then he saw her smile.

"What? Oh my god. That's amazing!" Chelsea excitedly jumped up and grabbed the beer from Elizabeth. "None of this for you anymore."

"I can drink a beer now, I think." She snatched the beer back. He knew he should have talked to her first about telling anyone but these were their best friends and he truly couldn't feel more exhilarated than what he did. It didn't last long when he looked at the text message on his phone.

**Dad: Threats have started again. I'm assuming it's Ben but we're not sure yet. I am sending security your way while we figure this out. Call me when you have a chance.**

Fear hit him hard as memories of Elizabeth's shooting flooded him.

"Babe. What's wrong?" He heard her ask so softly as she placed her hand on his.

He wanted to lie and protect her from all of it but he knew he couldn't: not to her.

"My parents have started to receive threats again. They assume from Ben but that's not a positive yet. Security should be here soon." He could see her the smile on her face fade and she drank more of her beer. He couldn't do anything but stare at his hands and his leg bounced hitting the grass with quick force. Elizabeth blocked his view of his hands as she grabbed his face and then took hold of his hands.

"We are not going to be afraid. I am right here and I am fine. I will be fine. We are going to live our lives and we are going to have a baby." She calmed him. The touch of her skin on his and the sound of her voice just melted away his fear. There was that conviction she spoke with that he so easily fell for. He could only smile at her as Chelsea and Jake went and checked the food.

"We are going to have a good time tonight with our friends and then you are going to take me up into that bedroom and do very very naughty things to me." A mischievous smile graced her face and he couldn't help but shake his head at her. She could do no wrong in his eyes. He nodded in agreement with her and he kissed her forehead before they joined Jake and Chelsea. He was going to act like nothing was wrong but in his heart and all throughout his body a feeling of dread existed.


	29. Chapter 29: Separation

_We all knew someone would be back. Enjoy the chapter. Sorry for mistakes. I have a wedding to plan and I wanted to get it done before this weekend of dress shopping. Enjoy and as always, let me know what you think!_

Chapter 29: Separation

Teddy felt Elizabeth's hands sweat in his and she stood from the bed beginning to pace.

"I should do something. I should vacuum. That would help." She muttered nervously and he knew that wasn't the best idea.

"Elizabeth, no. Sit. We only have 30 seconds left." She began to do Yoga moves on the floor in front of him and he couldn't help but be entertained by her anxiety. He looked back down at his phone to see twenty seconds left and he didn't realize just how nervous he was. This was a big deal. It had been a whole six weeks of fun with Elizabeth visiting him at work during lunch and then they would have sex again at night. The timer rang on his phone and they both stood. She gave him a nervous smile and he followed her into the bathroom.

"You look. I can't do it. It's not in my luck for something to work the first time." She began to leave and his heart rang with joy.

"Babe! Your pregnant." He watched her turn around quickly and run to him grabbing the test out of his hand.

"Oh my God!" Tears welled in her eyes and he had never seen her so joyous before. "Teddy! We're having a baby!" She screamed and then bent to the floor to begin sobbing.

"Babe. What's wrong?" She was hysterically crying and he began to panic thinking that she didn't want a baby anymore.

"I'm just so happy and excited. I don't know why I'm crying like this." She sat on the floor and he started to laugh at her. He stared at her in admiration in her nightgown crying in happiness on the bathroom floor. She held her hand up and he pulled her up into an embrace.

"So, you're happy?" He asked her and she pulled away from him. Her hands grabbed his cheeks.

"I am so happy. I love you." She gave him at least ten small kisses before a big grin appeared on her face.

"We're having a baby! We're having a baby!" An excited Elizabeth danced around the bedroom and Teddy just watched amused. _What the hell? _He grabbed her and they both began to dance in their bedroom. This was their moment, a moment that they would both recall in reverie, so he was going to enjoy it just as she was.

"How about we skip our run this morning and settle for a different workout?" Her eyes glazed with desire infiltrated his excitement and she stood there in her nightgown with her hair messily falling in her face arousing him more. He pulled her close to him and slid his hand up her thigh making her bite her lower lip in anticipation. Neither of them was going to need long. He knew she would grow tired of his teasing as he slowly lifted her nightgown. It was the game he loved to play with her. She huffed impatiently and then pushed him onto the bed. "Really? You're such a tease." She smiled deviously at him and then pulled her nightgown off and her breasts already seemed larger. He was really going to enjoy this pregnancy. She climbed on top of him and removed his shirt dragging her hair and tongue down his chest as she stopped at his sweatpants. He could feel the cold air hit him as she took them off and then the warmth of her mouth. His head fell back as shocks of pleasure ran through him. He could hear her moaning and he could feel himself grow close. His hands grabbed her hair and pulled her up to him as he kissed her, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth. She was ravenous with her kiss as she began to pull at his lower lip with her teeth. He grabbed her panties and pulled them off letting her take him in completely.

"Oh, God." She groaned in pleasure and he could feel her nails dig into his chest as she rode him. He could only grit his teeth at the sensation before flipping her over. His hips drove faster into her as the pleasure became overwhelming and the sweet sounds escaping her mouth just encouraged him. A final thrust released them both to each other relishing every touch she gave him during. She smiled at him and kissed him before dragging him into the shower.

"I have one more round in me." She spoke softly in her after sex glow. He took a deep breath and climbed into the shower with his pregnant wife.

Teddy couldn't help but look like he had just won the lottery. He opened the door to let Jax out and saw their security waiting in running clothes.

"We're not running this morning but Elizabeth has breakfast started inside so head on in." It had taken a lot of convincing for them to become comfortable with Elizabeth making meals for them but they quickly learned just how stubborn she was. He watched them excitedly head inside and it just felt like there was an orb of excitement around their entire home. _Our baby. _He wanted a little girl that they had already decided would be named Reagan and a boy would be named Caleb but his dreams of her when Elizabeth was in her coma made him biased towards a girl. It was what he had envisioned since that day for them. He went back inside to see the three security team members and Elizabeth sitting at the table eating breakfast; his beautiful wife leading the conversation and all three of them hypnotized by her. He grabbed a cup of coffee and joined his wife's side at the table feeling his stomach growl at the feast she had prepared. As the security went back outside they grabbed his MacBook and sat at the table again. He had texted his mother to see if they could Skype before they left for work. They came on the screen, his father dressed for work, and his mother in the midst of getting ready.

"Hi honey. You both look very awake and happy this morning." Elizabeth just waved enthusiastically at his father in the background.

"Thanks mom. We just wanted to talk to you guys this morning and tell you some good news." They both moved closer to the screen as if it were going to make him tell them faster.

"We're always up for good news right now, you know that!" She said eagerly and he knew they needed it. The threats had increased over the past couple weeks and his father's security seemed to always be one step behind.

"You might have to reschedule our annual family vacation next year because Elizabeth might be in the hospital." They both sat there staring at him confused.

"Teddy, that's not good news." His father commented and Teddy kept a straight face even though he was struggling inside.

"Honey, why would she be in the hospital?" He let Elizabeth announce the next part. He could feel her leg shaking next to him ferociously.

"I'll most likely be giving birth to your grandchild then." Their expressions perked up immediately when her statement finally registered. He thought his mother was going to have a heart attack.

"What?! This is so exciting. You're pregnant?" Teddy and Elizabeth both began to nod as they all broke out in laughter.

"Congratulations to both of you. We are very happy for you." His father told them before telling Gail and Taylor in the background.

"I have lots of things to do. I need to get a nursery ready here for when you visit and we will have to install another playground in the back again." His mother began to rattle on with his father shaking his head in the background.

"Mom. Elizabeth has her first appointment in two weeks. She's only around six week's right now. We have time." He could see it didn't calm her at all.

"I'm just so excited. Elizabeth, if you need anything at all. I'm here."

"I promise to keep you both updated on everything." They all signed off and he was looking forward to spending a relaxing day inside. It was early December and cold already with first signs of snow heading in tomorrow. They did have to check on the house first and they both stood and got their coats and boots on. She jumped on his back as they walked to the barn and started their Gator. He climbed in next to her and they took off feeling the chilled breeze over their land. There, their new home stood with the siding and shutters just being installed the day before. He turned to see the look of astonishment on his wife's face because he had told her they hadn't even started yet. A two story white colonial with black shutters came to life from their original drawings and he could tell she loved it. An arched entry way framing two large black French doors and arched windows on each side adorned the first floor.

"I am going to die of happiness today." She spoke softly and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I told you I would give you everything you have ever wanted." He snuggled his head into her neck and they climbed back into their ATV. They approached their home confused at the unknown car in their driveway. The securities were talking to an older gentleman who looked a little older than his father. They both climbed out as Elizabeth warmly introduced herself and he did the same.

"How can we help you?" Elizabeth asked Tom, the older gentleman, and he stood and looked at her almost sad.

"I know this is going to sound crazy but I think that I'm your father." Well, nausea hit her and she didn't know if it was the pregnancy or the news but she also didn't have time to think about it. She ran over to the grass and began to purge her breakfast. Teddy's hand began to rub her back as he pulled her hair back.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Here is all of my information. I'll be in Portland for the next week if you would like to meet me again." She could hear him get into his car and drive away leaving her drowned in questions.

"Babe, let's go inside." Teddy's voice calmed her and she followed him inside to run upstairs and brush her teeth. Her heart was pounding and she had never prepared herself for this potential meeting. She quit believing he would ever come back around age 7 and then just quit thinking about him in general not too long after. She came back down the stairs feeling exhausted as her nausea never left but the sight of Teddy on the couch with their fire going calmed her more. He was looking at a folder of information in what she could only assume was the information Tom had left.

"I have my people looking him up already." He told her and she crawled up next to him taking the folder from him.

"How legitimate do you think this is?" She asked him knowing he wouldn't really have an answer.

"I don't know babe. Not yet. I don't want you to worry about it though." She breathed in deeply and laid her head on a cushion as she suddenly became extremely exhausted.

"Wanna take a nap?" She asked him as she curled into him feeling the heat from the fire on her back and the warmth from him against her chest.

"I'm not tired but you sleep. I'll watch a movie or something." She could feel his fingers running up and down her back relaxing her into a deep sleep.

She awoke violently to hear Teddy talking anxiously on the phone in the kitchen. Everything was a daze as she couldn't believe how hard and long she had slept. She stood slowly and walked to the kitchen to see panic on Teddy's face.

"Teddy? What's wrong?" Something was seriously wrong. She could tell from the way he was staring at her blankly.

"Um. Phoebe's been kidnapped. We need to go to Seattle immediately. Can you pack a bag while I update security." _What the fuck? Could we get a fucking break? _She thought to herself as she hurried upstairs and packed a bag for both of them. They had one of the security men drive them to Seattle as the other two followed behind them. Teddy began to bite his fingernails in nervousness and she held his hand knowing that it might not help as much as she wanted it to.

"Babe, what happened?" She asked realizing that she hadn't yet.

"Phoebe snuck away from security last night and from her sorority. One of her "sisters" helped her and she told our security that she was going to meet someone. A guy. My father got the first phone call from the kidnapper about an hour ago." His finger tapped the seat of the car repeatedly as he talked.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" He turned to her and pulled her body close.

"I want you close to me. That's all." She knew he was afraid for her safety and even more now that she was pregnant. The drive was long especially with her constant nausea and the fear she felt for Teddy and Phoebe's safety. A headache began to hit her and she rubbed her temples in frustration. She needed to be focused and dependable for Teddy. They were pulling into his parent's drive when she felt Teddy shake her softly.

"Hey, we're here." They walked inside and she could see about ten people in the living room in suits with five other women and men sitting at the table with laptops and other devices laid out. Ana and Christian both sat on the couch with Ana staring out the window and tears in her eyes. A phone call rang before they could go over to them and chaos ensued around them. The men in suits were shouting and some were throwing around hand signals. Teddy pulled her close to him and they sat on the couch as Christian answered the phone. She could hear it on speaker as she assumed they were trying to track it.

"Hello?" Christian answered with a shaky tone.

"Daddy." They all stilled at Phoebe's scared voice and Ana hysterically cried out.

"She is still alive Mr. Grey. I am prepared for an exchange." A deep computerized voice rang out and an ounce of hope was restored into everyone.

"How much money do you want? I'll give you anything!" He screamed into the phone and Elizabeth thought she was going to throw up at the sight of them. Their pain and hurt was becoming overwhelming.

"I don't want money Mr. Grey. I want Elizabeth." That did it. She threw up all over the carpet with Teddy too in fear to move. _They had played into his plan. He wanted her back in Seattle and here she was. How did he know?_


	30. Chapter 30: Times Get Rough

_So sorry for the long break between updates_! Enjoy this chapter and as always let me know what you think. I have created a facebook account if anyone is interested. I just posted Elizabeth's wedding dress on there. :) Just search_ **deenz**_** fan****fiction**_in the search box on facebook._

Chapter 30: Times Get Rough

"That's never fucking happening!" Elizabeth heard Christian yell in the midst of people trying to attend to her. A trash can was handed to her and she held it all the way to the bathroom almost dying of embarrassment. Teddy hadn't moved the entire time because at that moment they both realized that this was about her. Again. She set the trashcan down on the tiled floor and she sat with her back against the wall monitoring the potential to throw up again. Her eyes closed and she let her head fall back against the wall knowing that Teddy was worth all of the drama but damn it was tiring. She heard a faint knock at the door when Teddy came in and sat down next to her taking his fingers and interlacing them with his.

"How are you feeling?"

"Nauseous and exhausted. I'm more worried about you." She turned to him and he couldn't even look her in the eyes. His fear was evident and she knew that within this she would have to be the strong base-his security.

"I'm scared babe." He whispered quietly.

"We're going to be fine. Can you go and get my toothbrush and toothpaste?" She was truly trying to be strong but she was struggling to keep appearances for him. Once he left, Elizabeth stood and let her weight fall onto the bathroom sink as she splashed cold water around her mouth. A simple life of a nurse, boating with her husband, and bonfires with their friends was all she had ever wanted and the idea kept getting weaker by the minute. She watched Teddy walk in and set her things beside her. His hand rubbed her back as she brushed her teeth and as much as he needed her in that moment, she just wanted to be alone. All of these people are now going to wonder what to do with Ben's demand that revolved exclusively around her and she also just threw up publicly in the Grey's living room. She followed Teddy back out into the living room where her mess had already been attended to as stares and whispers accompanied her entry.

"Elizabeth, I don't want you to worry. We would never put you in danger." Christian spoke calmly and warmly to her even under the circumstances taking her by surprise.

"Thank you; although, if there is any way that I can help safely, please let me know." She wanted to tell him that she would gladly take his request so they could get their daughter back but it would absolutely break Teddy. They all returned to their computers and Ana stormed off into the kitchen.

It had been two days of being stuck in the Grey household and it seemed that everyone was becoming increasingly interested in what she was doing. They were all crowding her, questioning how she felt, trying to cater to her every need, and doing it in a way that she unusually snapped.

"If one of you talk to me or touch me in the next ten minutes, I will call Ben back myself and request that he take me." She glared at Teddy who had done nothing but encourage all of their behavior. Her patience decreased with her constant nausea and claustrophobia she was currently experiencing in the house. After they all left the bedroom she called her best friend.

"Elizabeth! Did they find Phoebe yet?" Chelsea asked immediately after answering.

"No and he hasn't called back since Christian rejected his demand for me. Can you come and jailbreak me from this place? I'm about to lose it." She knew that Chelsea and Jake had come into town to be around family and she was at Kate and Elliot's. Chelsea laughed which quickly turned into a cough and Elizabeth assumed it was because she was around his family. She could hear her leave the room and close a door.

"What's going on?" A concerned tone drifted through the phone.

"What's going on is that they won't leave me alone. I know they're just trying to help with the baby and all but they are smothering me. I can't move without someone's scurrying little feet trying to help me." She was breathing hard now in frustration.

"What baby? Oh, shit. Did you steal one from the hospital?" Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh and just cherish her best friend for doing what she does best. It made her feel guilty but also calmed the emerging bitch in her.

"Stop that but seriously even if it's just for people watching in Wal-Mart." Her voice was filled with desperation because that's how she felt. She was anxious and tense and the suffocation she was feeling was only making it worse.

"I'll be there in fifteen. You better start working on Teddy though." Elizabeth hung up and the exhausting feeling hit her before she even began this argument with Teddy. She found him sitting on the stairs and he ran in once she opened the door.

"Is everything okay?" He asked in panic only reinforcing her need to get out for a bit.

"No. Chelsea is coming over and I would like to get out of the house with her for a bit." She felt silly having to ask permission but she knew demanding it would only instigate the situation more.

"You're not leaving. There is a fucking mad man wanting you and only you and he has my sister in case you have forgotten." He yelled at her with the same intensity he had the day she left him in Seattle.

"I have not forgotten. No one has forgotten and they are all trying to distract themselves by smothering me and I am going to have a mental breakdown if I don't leave. The stress inside this house is suffocating me. I'll take some security with me." Her face became tainted with tears when she saw the hurt in his eyes only adding to her guilt.

"I'll come with you and we will have a minimum of 6 security members." His impersonal tone really struck her making her cry more. Her tears were coming freely and every time she tried to regain some sort of control, a pain within her would crumble her walls.

"It won't be any relief if you're going to act like this the entire time. I need you Teddy to treat me as you always do." She sat on the bed and begged him to come back to her. He had been closed off the entire two days barely speaking to her unless it was in regards to her health.

"I'll try my best." He spat at her angrily and walked out. She could only cry to herself until Chelsea got there but all she really wanted was Teddy to comfort her. Her body was longing for his touch and anything else besides his disconnect. She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them finally cherishing a free moment to think in silence. _Well, baby. It's just you and momma for a little bit. _She began to whisper out loud no longer feeling truly alone regardless of the fact that she wasn't that far along. It felt good to have a sounding board especially considering Jax was staying with friends. She heard Chelsea's voice on the stairs and smiled finally, that someone would treat her like a real person.

"Wipe that shit off your face. We're going shopping. I need new sweaters." Chelsea jumped next to her on the bed and grabbed her hand. "Seriously, you're a caged bird when you're supposed to be free. This is normal and how you're feeling is normal." She began to cry more and Chelsea embraced her bringing her head to her chest and running her fingers through her hair.

"He barely looks at me right now and when he does it's with fear. We didn't even get a day to enjoy the news of this baby. I fucking hate this shit." A soothing sound left Chelsea's lips and her sobs slowly dissipated. "I'm sorry for being a baby." Elizabeth mumbled to her as she wiped her face.

"You clearly don't remember my drunken sobs when I broke my heel that one night. Obviously, I exaggerated a little." Elizabeth giggled at her as some of the tension left her. She followed Chelsea downstairs seeing the concerned looks of everyone at her red and swollen eyes. It might be inconsiderate to leave during this time but there was nothing she could do and Teddy just stood obviously angry with her decision next to their security.

"You both ready to go yet?" Elizabeth truly didn't want to blame the pregnancy or hormones for her constant urge to cry but it took biting the inner part of her lip to keep her tears at bay. Her heart couldn't take any more of his anger. She didn't feel strong enough. Chelsea just shook her head at Teddy in dismay and they both followed him out to the Range Rover and climbed in. Teddy drove, Elizabeth sat in front, and Chelsea sat in the back texting Elizabeth e-cards making her smile. She put her hand on the console as she usually did when Teddy drove only to be rejected again as he kept both hands on the steering wheel. It was her undoing and she decided to treat him as he was her. They went to one of the nicer malls looking ridiculous with the security entourage but Teddy wouldn't have it any other way. They had demanded a busy mall so that there was no way she would truly be alone. He kept his distance from her only enraging her more. Elizabeth was texting on her phone and following Chelsea when a strong stench of cologne hit her nose making her immediately nauseous. _Where the fuck are we?_ Her face grimaced and then she looked around.

"Really Chelsea? Abercrombie?" She questioned her best friend's sanity who just shook her head at her.

"Calm down preggers. I got you out of the house. I don't know why you hate this store so much. " She spat back at her while she rummaged through the clothes. The word preggers made her cringe and Teddy's mood had officially become hers.

"Because they take away my fucking sense of vision with how dark it is in here, they take away my sense of hearing with the loud music, and they have now altered my sense of smell with this godawful cologne. Now, I feel like purchasing something because they have disoriented me so much in the process. I'm going to go sit down by the Triple 0 thongs and pray someone rescues me." It was then she realized just how much the past two days had affected her along with her pregnancy hormones.

"Well that was a little dramatic." Chelsea couldn't help but laugh at her just pissing her off even more. Thank god she was her best friend because if it were anyone else they most likely would have been highly offended.

"I'm going to wait outside. I really can't handle the cologne." Chelsea just nodded at her and she went outside as she was followed by three of the security team members. She looked down the large middle aisle in between the stores to see Teddy coming with drinks and snacks. He looked so damn good in his jeans and grey sweater making her disdain for him decrease just a little. The mall was extremely busy as shopping season had begun and it became so crowded that she had to move back against one of the store windows. An announcement stopped everyone as they asked people to calmly find their nearest exit as soon as possible. There were some police officers ushering people on the second floor and she could see some trying to control the chaos that had erupted. Her security team huddled closer as they began to escort her but she fought against them.

"I need to run in and get Chelsea. Just wait a minute." One of the security team members came with her inside the store as she frantically scanned the rooms for her. She really fucking hated how dark it was in there and the music wasn't helping either. A rush of preteen girls came at them as one fell. Her security helped the poor girl up along with trying to get them through the rush of people. Someone grabbed her arm and she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of his grey sweater.

"Ben is out there. We need to go out the back. The security will catch up." She followed him feeling extreme guilt that she had put them in this position. It was dark in the storage room as they headed towards another back door. A connecting hallway between stores covered them as she followed Teddy down the dark hall. She felt like she was going to throw up again but her adrenaline was helping control it. God, his hands were rough, rougher than she remembered. Teddy's hands were always soft. She looked up at him again when her heart sank and she yanked her arm way from him. He slowly turned around when she realized that it wasn't Teddy.

"Who the fuck are you?" She screamed at him to see a sly smile with a hint of triumph form on his face.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet the woman who stirred my brother so." His voice nauseated her more and a twist in her chest made it hard for her to breathe.

"Don't panic yet. I haven't even started." He grabbed her arm again and she fought against him.

"If you don't come with me, I will kill Teddy." He whispered coldly into her ear and she succumbed immediately. She followed him as they found an exit and merged with the crowd. She turned to see if she could see anyone but she didn't recognize one face. He led her to a mini-van where he made her drive and she could feel the pressure of the gun he had at her side as she drove. Panic, guilt, no; extreme guilt plagued her.

"How did you do it?" She tried to ask calmly but her shaky voice exposed her true emotions.

"There's a bomb in the mall!" He screamed hysterically and then laughing at his own brilliant idea. "It's almost like you walked into my hand. I thought you were smarter than that Elizabeth." He mockingly spoke to her and she could only wonder what Teddy was thinking about her now.

"How did you know we were coming to the mall?" She wanted to keep him talking, distract him from her for as long as she could.

"Oh, your father did that for me." Confusion. "He put a tracker on your Range Rover when he came to _introduce _himself." He began to laugh harder at the situation and that was it. Her eyes could no longer hold her tears back and she began to cry. _You are so much stronger than this, what is wrong with you? _It was her guilt and the fact that she felt so idiotic over her need to leave. _At least Teddy is safe. _That was her only saving grace now and it soothed her enough to slow her sobs. She could see Ben in the rearview mirror looking displeased with her display of emotion and she pulled back even more. They pulled into a garage that for all aesthetic purposes looked abandoned. No one would find her unless they just so happened to stumble in or hear something. He got out of the van first and she took a deep breath before feeling him pull her door open and hold the gun up at her.

"Get out." He commanded and she got out slowly as to not frighten him in any way. He pushed the tip of the gun into her back leading her to some stairs. They led down into what looked like a basement with the walls decorated in graffiti. She opened the door into a large open room with concrete columns scattered throughout. More graffiti on the walls gave it some character and she saw Phoebe in the corner with duct tape over her mouth and her hands and feet were tied. Her eyes widened at the sight of them and tears ran down her cheeks. Ben pushed her towards a chair and she sat at his command. He began to pull her arms back behind the chair and tie them together. He was rough and unforgiving making her heart race and her chest shake as she tried to hold back her sobs. Phoebe began to hysterically cry and it scared Elizabeth more. As soon as he was done with her arms, he moved to her feet tying each one to each front leg of the chair. He stood before her looking so proud of himself and then went over to Phoebe. He started untying her feet and he then pulled the duct tape off only to allow her loud sobs to come out. His hand gently pushed her hair out of her face as he apologized to her for having to leave her in that state. Elizabeth's nausea became extreme as she watched him touch her and her sobs emerged much heavily as she couldn't control herself anymore.

"Why me?" She managed to get out between the sharp inhales to her chest. He sat Phoebe up and then picked up his gun again swinging it around at her.

"I feel for you, I really do. You truly have nothing to do with this but everything now. I have wondered how to truly ruin the Grey family, all of them, and the only idea that could do that is this one. Teddy would never recover from your death pulling him away from his parents with Phoebe doing the same after she witnesses it. The guilt that Christian and Ana will feel at the death of someone who had nothing to do with this will haunt them for a lifetime. Guilt can ruin people and that's my plan. I am going to ruin each family member with your death." He was completely right that her death would pull that family apart which only solidified the idea that she was going to die today.

"I'm pregnant." She screamed at him knowing it was her last chance to change his mind.

"Even better." He devilishly smiled and she just closed her eyes and opened them to look at Phoebe.

"Tell Teddy I'm so sorry and I love him." She nodded at her as she turned away. Elizabeth closed her eyes not wanting to give Ben the satisfaction of her fear when he killed her. Deep breaths, mostly sobs, and she was able to bring Teddy close in her mind. She was lying on his chest on their boat as they floated in the water; his scent so strong and his fingers grazing her back. It was peaceful and calm and her sobs withered into chest shakes and slowing tears. She heard the sound of the gun being pulled back and ready to shoot. _I'm sorry baby. _


	31. Chapter 31:What Has Happened To Us?

_Sorry for the break in updates. Enjoy. As always let me know what you think. _

Chapter 31: What has happened to us?

Elizabeth felt a strange sense of calm flood her when she heard Phoebe start to speak.

"Ben, someone is upstairs." Elizabeth could hear his footsteps and then a gunshot. She felt no pain. _Maybe, this is what happens when you die, _was her last thought before she passed out.

"Elizabeth. Open your eyes!" It was a faraway noise and it sounded familiar, soothing. She wanted to open her eyes but she was exhausted and frankly she felt at peace where she was.

"Damn it, Elizabeth. Wake up!" She felt cold hands on her cheeks that shocked her out of her escape. Teddy's frazzled face was staring at her and she slowly began to sit up.

"What happened?" Her voice was shaky and Teddy's face quickly turned to anger once he realized she was fine.

"Damn it, Elizabeth. Why? Why couldn't you just listen to everyone and stay home?" He yelled at her and she blocked him out as she checked her body to see no gunshot wounds. A sigh of relief left her and tears dropped freely from her eyes. She wanted to hit Teddy in that moment and it took every ounce of logical restraint she could convince herself with to keep her hands at her side.

"Jesus Christ Teddy. That is the mother of your unborn child who almost died because of your fucking family again. I find it hysterical that she has done nothing but cater to you all and has put her feelings aside to spare yours." Chelsea was yelling at him and she had never seen her so angry before. Even Teddy stepped back at her words and he left the hospital room where she lay. Chelsea sat on the bed with her and grabbed her hand.

"You are not hurt. You did pass out and you woke up but you fell asleep again. We brought you here to check on the pregnancy but they wanted to wait to do the ultrasound so you could be awake for it." Elizabeth cried even more that she and Teddy were at such odds.

"What happened to Ben?" She asked feeling confused.

"Somehow, they found the garage that he was holding you. They were able to get in there and Phoebe distracted him long enough for them to shoot him. He is still alive but they have him in custody." It was finally over for her. The last of the Hyde boys had been put away and now she could finally relax. It meant no more security for them and they could return to living a simple life.

"How did they find us?" It seemed so impossible at the time.

"We're not sure yet." Elizabeth let her head fall back against the pillow when the nurse came in.

"We're going to wheel you to radiology now. They have an opening to check on the pregnancy." Elizabeth looked at Chelsea sadly as she grabbed her phone to call Teddy while the nurse wheeled her. She would have asked her to wait but she knew the routine. There wasn't a guarantee that she could get in again soon and she wanted to get out of the hospital as soon as she could. Teddy wasn't any of the people they were passing in the hall and Chelsea kept cursing at her phone quietly because he wasn't answering. She finally gave up and gave Elizabeth a defeated look making her cry more. Her chest was shaking as she struggled to keep the tears in because she felt like an idiot crying in the hallway. They finally made it to radiology and were wheeled into a dark room where they saw the screen that would hold the ultrasound. Chelsea pulled up a chair next to Elizabeth and held her hand as the tech came in wearing pink and purple floral scrubs. She was an older woman who looked to be about the same age as her mother and she sat at the ultrasound machine and began to prepare it for her. They had filled her bladder so they would be able to see her uterus and the overwhelming sensation to pee started to give her extreme discomfort.

"Would you like to wait for your husband?" She asked and a small tear escaped her eye as she shook her head.

"I need you to pull your knees up and then drop them to the sides." Her voice was soft and warm making it a little easier on Elizabeth. She did as the tech asked when she felt her insert the ultrasound tool. It was uncomfortable and Elizabeth could feel herself hold her breath as she moved it. She had turned the screen towards her and Elizabeth knew it was so she couldn't see if the pregnancy had miscarried. After about five minutes she smiled and turned the screen.

"Your baby is just fine. You won't really be able to see it yet but I'll point to it so you can see." She did as she said she would and it made the pregnancy more real. A weight of tension was released from her and the tech cleaned everything before leaving the room as they awaited another nurse. She turned to see Chelsea smiling at her.

"I want to go home to Portland after this. Is there any way you can take me back?"

"Of course. I drove here so we can leave straight after this. I'll have Jake come back with Teddy or see if he wants to meet us here and leave." Usually Chelsea would have words of advice but she felt extremely appreciative Chelsea didn't question her this time. They returned to the room to see Teddy sitting anxiously waiting for them. The nurse removed the catheter and then left the room for her to get her clothes back on.

"Where were you?" He asked her and his mood had simmered some but not much.

"They had to do an ultrasound to check on the pregnancy. Everything is fine." Elizabeth refused to look at him as she spoke and she could hear him exhale with relief. He was about to say something when she cut him off.

"Right now, I'm extremely hurt. Your behavior towards me has been ludicrous and offensive." She had hoped she could hold her tears back but seeing him look at her made them appear. "I'm going home with Chelsea. I couldn't really care right now what you choose to do." She went into the bathroom and shut the door where she could hear him yelling at Chelsea. It made her put her clothes on hastily and she stormed back out.

"Don't you dare yell at her! None of this is her fault and in fact she took care of _your _wife after _you _stormed out of here. She was there with me during the ultrasound, the one that could have easily been the moment they told me that I was no longer pregnant. She deserves more respect that what you are giving her right now." She turned to Chelsea mad enough to settle her tears.

"Let's go." She could feel Teddy grabbing her hand and she snatched it away from him.

"How does it feel to be rejected Teddy because that's exactly the same feeling I had when you did it to me." She stormed out of the room where the beginnings of a breakdown began to emerge. She widened her eyes to try and keep the tears back at least until she got to the car. Chelsea rubbed her back as they walked and as soon as they got into her car; she let go. Her legs pulled up to her chest and she put her head to them as she sobbed. It was the first time she had ever felt this disconnected from him and they were better than this; he was better than this.

They rode listening to Adele which only made it worse so Chelsea changed the tunes to some upbeat hip hop songs somewhat lightening the mood. Chelsea tried to distract Elizabeth by talking about the latest reality T.V show she was obsessed with but all Elizabeth could do was stare out of the window watching the landscape fly by. They pulled up to one of her coworker's homes that were keeping Jax for them and Elizabeth smiled for the first time as Jax jumped excitedly on her. He sat on her lap, the big baby, as they drove back home and his tail began to wag eagerly when he saw their home. It was pitch black and only their front porch light was on. They walked inside where Chelsea grabbed some chips and salsa and they sat and numbed their racing thoughts with Magic Mike. Elizabeth could feel the exhaustion as her head kept dropping.

"I'm going to go to bed." She told Chelsea to see her falling asleep also. They all walked upstairs as Chelsea went in to the guest room and Jax followed her into her room. It was utterly depressing to be going to bed by herself especially in the still unmade bed they had sex in. She walked into the bathroom trying to hold back tears as this was the first time she had ever gone to bed alone; although, she wasn't alone anymore. Her hand rubbed her belly at the thought of never being alone again soothing her anxiety. She lay in bed with Jax finding his place at the bottom and it was all too different. It wasn't the first time she had cried herself to sleep but it was the first time she had ever felt truly hurt and it was because it was emotionally he had ruined her day.

She awoke to see the time was 2am and she could feel someone slide in behind her. It was Teddy, his cologne meeting her nose, and his arm came around her waist as he curled into her.

"Don't." She said sternly and he let go.

"Are we getting divorced?" He asked and she couldn't believe him. What kind of fucking question was that? She turned to him so fast and even his beautiful face couldn't calm her now.

"Of course not. I'm extremely hurt, exhausted, and angry. Give me time." _Divorce at the first big argument. _She shook her head at the idea and even she didn't know how long her hurt would last but it hurt enough for her to leave their bed.


End file.
